Get to You
by inyouratmosphere23
Summary: Haley James liked a challenge. Being partnered with Nathan Scott, for a class project, might be her hardest challenge to date. Will sparks fly between her and her best friend's enemy?
1. Chapter 1

Haley James liked to be challenged. She supposed it spurred at an early age; after all, she was the youngest of seven siblings and it was easy to be overlooked. Due to this, the James siblings created their own system of how the attention would get divvied up. Her brothers all had their own interests: one was involved in politics, another was a chef, and the last in computer software. As for her sisters, Vivian devoted her life to school, Taylor was the "wild child", and Quinn was the "free-spirited" one into the arts and travel. Being the youngest, she shaped her identity by all of the differing personalities and interests her siblings possessed. As they moved on with their lives one by one she felt as though she kept aging beyond her years. She took on more responsibility around the house, she worked hard in school because she was good at it, and she became a parent to herself when her own mother and father grew tired of the role.

With all of that being said, she by no means had an unpleasant childhood. She was unconditionally loved and supported, but she grew up a little quicker than she wished. When chaos swarmed her household she could always turn to books to lose herself for a while. She could always find a good read to pass her time with during breaks at the café or in between classes. When she wasn't dreaming that she was a part of some fiction, fantasy world, she engaged in her school work. It was her safe place… or so she thought.

Haley twiddled her thumbs as her Creative Writing teacher discussed an upcoming project that would last for a portion of the semester.

"You will be required to step outside your comfort zone and create a piece of artwork that is honest, raw, and vulnerable. You will blend your life with another classmate's and gain a new perspective. You are all in this class for a reason but that does not mean you are all the same. This project brings people together and creates friendships in some of the most unlikely pairs…," her teacher, Ms. Mitchell, claimed.

"Alright, Sawyer, you will be working with Jagielski," Ms. Mitchell announced.

"McFadden, you will be working with Mirskey."

"James," her teacher called, drawing Haley's attention. Haley lifted her head up waiting for her teacher to announce her partner. "You will be working with Scott-,"

Haley grinned, turning to find her best friend Lucas. The two locked eyes with each other and shared a secret look that described their feelings of relief.

"-Nathan Scott."

Wait- what?!

No way.

Haley turned back to the front of the classroom with a confused expression. There must have been some sort of mistake. There was no possible way she was stuck working with Nathan Scott, grade A asshole.

Shyly, Haley raised her hand, "I'm sorry, Ms. Mitchell, I think I may have misheard you. Could you repeat that?"

Ms. Mitchell smiled sweetly, "Of course, dear. You will be working with Nathan Scott."

Haley exhaled deeply and turned to look at Luke. She had known him long enough by now to know when he was upset by something and she could pick it up instantly with just a glance.

This time, however, his eyes weren't settled on hers. Instead, he was looking in the direction of Nathan's. She almost let out an audible gasp when her own eyes followed Lucas' trail and fell on Nathan's. She did not anticipate him looking at her. His eyes were somewhat similar to Lucas' but there was something different about Nathan's. His were icy. Not in the sort of way that they were cold, but more so piercing. She suddenly felt uncomfortable under his gaze and turned away.

When the bell rang, Haley gathered her belongings as quickly as possible. Despite her best efforts, Nathan appeared by her desk. Looking up at him she bit her tongue holding back what she really wanted to say. She wanted to tell him that no matter what she wasn't going to be his friend by the end of this project, that she won't let him tank her GPA in an elective class, and that she thought he was full of shit.

Nathan's expression never faltered from amusement, "Don't look too upset to be partnered with me."

"I never said that I was upset," Haley replied, running a hand through her hair. "I just thought I was going to be paired with someone who would take this seriously."

"Ouch. Haley James, I'm much more than a pretty face," Nathan joked, adjusting his grip on his backpack.

Haley turned, suddenly feeling a stare creep up from behind. Lucas remained by his desk watching Haley and Nathan's encounter. Feeling uncomfortable by spending any more time with Nathan in front of Luke, Haley directed her attention back to the boy in front of her. "Hey, uh, I have to go but I guess we should get started on this thing sooner than later, right?"

"Right," Nathan answered, as he looked over at Lucas. He flashed a devilish smile towards him and then just as quickly brought his focus back to Haley.

"I'll see you later, partner," and with a wink he was out the door.

Haley James liked to be challenged—and out of all the challenges she had faced in her life, this may be her hardest one to date. 

* * *

**Note:**

 **Hey guys! So I've never used this platform before, or written an OTH fic for that matter, so all of this is really new to me! Please let me know what you all think and if anyone is interested in reading this! I LOVE Naley and have been missing them a lot lately so I wanted to write about them meeting and their friendship and more...**

 **-B**


	2. Chapter 2

"I just don't like the guy," Lucas exclaimed, as he dribbled the basketball before taking a shot.

Haley sat on the cold, metal bleachers that faced directly towards the cement court. This was typically how the two spent their time after school when she wasn't busy tutoring someone or working at the café.

"Really? I couldn't tell," Haley joked, watching as Lucas practiced his shooting skills. "Just be grateful you didn't get partnered with him. I'm the one who will be suffering!"

"Talk to me when you share his last name," he sighed. "You know he's just going to use this as a way to get to me."

Haley frowned. "I heard about the shower room incident. That's just so immature. I wish I could do something… help somehow. You're just trying to play a game you love."

Lucas grimaced, "I think I scarred a few transfers for life who were running late to their next class. If they felt like they hadn't seen all of Tree Hill High yet they definitely did now."

Haley cradled her head in her hands in a fit of laughter, "Oh I just can't get over you walking the halls with the basketballs…"

Lucas laughed, accepting his stint of public humiliation, "The trick is working it to your advantage. I got naked in the school… Brooke Davis got naked in the back of my car."

"Okay, too much information for me. This is where I draw the line, bud," Haley stated, covering her ears.

Lucas rolled his eyes and threw the ball in her general direction. Haley squealed, attempting to catch the ball.

"Unfortunately for me, nothing happened. My morals and what not got in the way. Is it crazy to say that I think I like her and that I think there's more to her than what she presents at the surface?"

"I wouldn't say so crazy that you're gonna have to get committed...," Haley bit her tongue. She was torn with her thoughts; she didn't want to write Brooke off, but she also was never given a reason not to. She tried to always see the best in people though, so she gave him the most honest response she could think of. "I don't know the girl so I can't say much, but, she must be pretty okay if you like her."

Haley tossed the ball back at Lucas and picked up her planner. Paging through the book she searched for the monthly view to see when she agreed to meet Nathan.

"Jagielski isn't so bad at least. Once I ran into him after the hallway bit he gave me a spare change of clothes. Probably the only guy on the team who has been somewhat welcoming to me."

"Oooh I saw him in class… maybe now I'll have a real reason to come to your games," Haley teased, gathering her stuff together. "I told Nathan I'd meet him so we could start brainstorming and what not. Call me later?"

"Just promise me you'll be careful, Hales," Lucas warned.

"Afraid I'm going to like the other Scott better?"

"Hales."

Haley laughed, "I could never replace you, after all, your mom signs off on my checks."

Lucas rolled his eyes. "All I'm saying is he's the spitting image of Dan. It's got to mean something." 

* * *

Nathan checked his phone for the time. He was running late, as per usual; his mother always joked that everyone else ran on his schedule. He was currently in line at a chain coffee shop a few doors down from the meeting spot he agreed to meet Haley at.

Haley James. He'd been picking his brain for the past week wondering how he would find an excuse to start talking to her when this class project fell in his lap. She was best friends with Lucas which was more than enough of a reason to get close to her. If he got close to her, he was sure he'd have her in the palm of his hand. All he needed to do was work his charm and he'd hook up with her and take another thing Lucas cared about away from him. If managed to accomplish this, he might be able to finally push Lucas enough to the point that he would want to quit the team. Once Lucas was off the team maybe his dad would back off a little, right?

Nathan shook off thoughts of his dad and Lucas and watched the barista place the lids on the two drinks he ordered. Once the barista placed them on the counter, Nathan grabbed them and made his way out the door towards the promenade.

As Nathan neared the table he saw the petite girl looking towards the water. This wasn't the first time he'd noticed how gorgeous she was. She had brown hair, which at times looked reddish, that cascaded past her shoulders. Her eyes were a pretty brown—warm and inviting.

"You're late," Haley stated, looking up at him. Nathan quickly retracted his thoughts about how warm and inviting her eyes were. He almost laughed at how unamused she looked.

"With good reason," he smiled, offering her one of the drinks in his hand. "I figured we'd need the caffeine if we were going to be brainstorming ideas."

"I appreciate the offer but I can't drink a rival's coffee."

"Can't or won't?" he asked.

"Can't," she repeated. "Have you ever had this coffee before?" she asked. When Nathan remained still, she nodded, encouraging him to take a sip.

At the very moment he took a sip of the hot beverage, he nearly spat it out in distaste. "God this is terrible," he said, making a face.

Haley tried to hide her smile but couldn't manage to. She laughed, offering out her own coffee that sat beside her. "Have a sip of mine to get the taste out of your mouth."

"How's that place still in business?" he asked, meeting her halfway and grabbing her drink.

"Because of customers like you who assume that the coffee is good because you've seen it in commercials or you've seen the logo around enough," she replied.

Nathan took a sip of her drink and shrugged, "Well, if they all knew Haley James worked at a real café with real coffee I'm sure there would be a line of people out the door."

"Oh, yeah? Please tell me who'd stand in that line."

"Easy," Nathan answered, as he offered her drink back, "Me."

Haley looked away as she felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Biting her lip, she waited a few seconds before looking back up at him. "Are we going to talk about this project of ours or what?"

Nathan raised an eyebrow, surprised that he didn't get a bigger reaction out of her. Typically, he'd at least get some sort of indicator that showed interest in him but he couldn't read her.

"Sure," he said, folding his arms against his chest.

"You've thought of nothing," she assumed.

"Your list of ideas looks promising," he responded, nodding to her notebook with a blank page.

"Fair enough," she replied, holding her hands up in a fake surrender. "Honest, raw, and vulnerable…," she muttered quietly to herself.

Over the course of thirty minutes the two went back and forth bouncing ideas off each other until Nathan's eyes lit up. "I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner," he said quietly to himself.

Haley tilted her head, intrigued, "Well don't hold back."

"What if we just documented our experience on camera?"

"Like an interview…?" she asked, trying to understand what he was suggested.

"In a sense," he nodded. "The whole point is bringing two worlds together. Why don't we document us trying new things, experiencing what the other person does, and learning about each other?"

Haley quietly rolled his idea around in his head. As moments passed Nathan looked almost a little deflated to her. She'd never seen Nathan appear small to her which made her believe that he really believed in his idea.

Nathan shifted nervously in his seat. He started to wonder why he'd made any suggestion at all. She was the smartest girl in the class. There was no possible way she'd take him seriously. He was confident about a lot of things: basketball, throwing a good party, and sex; however, when it came to classes and grades he didn't have the same drive. He didn't like when people made him feel stupid, but he also didn't have the time to prove anyone wrong when it came to academics. His whole life revolved around basketball—working out, dieting, and practice.

"Nathan-," Haley, began before she was interrupted.

"You think it's a bad idea," he concluded. "I don't know why you're even asking my opinion, I'm not going to take this seriously, remember?"

"Nathan," she said, more softly this time. "I actually think that's a really great idea."

"You do?"

"Really," she said with a smile. "I honestly wish I came up with something like that."

"Thanks," Nathan said, as he smiled at her genuinely. "Anyways, I've got a camera we could use so all we really need to do is start filming and creating plans of what we want to shoot."

Haley was surprised at how well they seemed to be working together. She'd assumed their meet-up arrangement would have been a waste of time but they seemed to be covering what she wanted to get out of a first meeting. They'd shared schedules, numbers, and when they were going to get started.

As Haley finished jotting down the details of their action plan, she looked up to see him opening up a box of Cracker Jack.

"Please let this be a cheat sheet," he joked, "If I'm going to survive my math class I'm going to need it."

"You know we have a tutor center, right?" she asked him.

"Are you trying to see me more, Haley James?"

"I didn't mean it like that," she insisted, "I just meant that if you think you're going to struggle in your class you should get a tutor. It's what the center is for. Plus, it's better if you go early because athletes are a part of the select students who get priority time."

"You're trying to see me more," he restated with a smile. Looking down at the prize inside the small packaging, he pulled out a dainty charm bracelet. "It's for you."

"Nathan-," she protested.

"Don't say I never gave you anything," Nathan said, as he slid the charmed bracelet past her hand to rest on her wrist. As he retracted his hand, his fingers brushed against her skin for just a moment—the slightest touch causing a shiver across her.

The two sat there for a little bit longer until the sun began to set. "It's getting late," Haley mentioned, "I should get going."

"Want me to walk you home?" Nathan asked.

"I think I can find my own house," Haley replied, turning down his offer.

"I was just trying to be nice."

"Yea, I'm sure you were. Do you think I don't know who you are?" she asked, zippering up her bag. "Your act doesn't work on me. There's plenty of Tree Hill girls you can choose from."

"Alright, go ahead and act like there's nothing between us," he teased, getting up from the seating area. "I'll enjoy watching you convince yourself that you're not into me."

"I don't have to convince myself anything. What could you and I possibly have in common? And besides," she said, "you should spend more time worrying about you being into me."

Nathan raised his eyebrow, "And why's that?"

"Because," she said, grabbing her backpack, "you've already given me jewelry and want to walk me home."

Nathan dug his hands in his pockets as he watched Haley walk away from him. He'd remained in that very spot until she'd disappeared into the night. One thing was for sure, he'd never met a girl like Haley James. 


	3. Chapter 3

"You're sleeping with her, right?" Tim asked, as Nathan and him wiped down the equipment they were using in the weight room.

Nathan had told Tim all about how he got paired to work with Lucas' best friend. He was hoping that he could use this opportunity to his advantage; if he hooked up with Lucas' best friend and messed with her, he could get under Lucas' skin even more and force him off the team. His problem? Haley.

The two had been pretty chatty since they'd met in the promenade to go over plans for their project. It was mostly in school, whether it was passing each other in the hall or Nathan hanging around her locker before he went to practice. He always made sure whenever he'd stopped to talk to her that Lucas was looking. He could feel Lucas' stare burning into him and even see his tightened jaw when he looked up.

If Nathan was being completely honest with himself, even though he would never admit it, he was beginning to like her company and conversation. She was quick-witted and always left him with a loss of words. It wasn't often that Nathan Scott fell speechless. He was good at talking to girls and holding a conversation with someone but it always seemed like she'd get the last word in and he'd be left thinking about her.

"Not yet," Nathan replied, "emphasis on yet. This stuff can take time."

"Not for you, it doesn't," Tim pointed out. "Maybe she's not into you. Maybe she needs some Timmy time."

Nathan turned to Tim in disgust, "It's times like this I forget why I hang out with you." Nathan flipped the towel he was holding over his shoulder, "Anyways, she's not like all the Tree Hill girls. I don't know how to explain it."

"Are you going soft?" Tim teased. "You feeling okay, man?"

Nathan rolled his eyes, "Do you have an off switch? It's not like that."

"Whatever you say, just doesn't seem like it to me."

Nathan turned away from him and headed out of the weight room. He was tired of trying to explain himself. He wasn't into Haley. Girls were just a distraction—good and bad. Good? He was hooking up with whoever he wanted just about whenever he wanted. Bad? When girls tried to make it more than just about sex. He didn't have the time to care about someone like that and he didn't really want to. All it would do is just distract him from training and playing a good game. It wasn't worth it.

Just as he was gathering his stuff from his locker, he noticed he received a text message from just the girl they were talking about.

 _Haley: Hey! I got a little held up at work. Do you mind just picking me up at the café?_

Right. They were supposed to meet tonight to start filming—he completely forgot. He had a Spanish exam tomorrow that he hadn't even bothered to look at yet and figured he'd cram for it once he finished lifting. He paused thinking about his options: Spanish or spending time with a hot girl?

 _Nathan: Been looking forward to filming this masterpiece all day—I'll be there._

* * *

"Nathan! Where are you taking me?"

Nathan guided Haley into the gym with his hands covering her face. Step by step the two fell into sync with each other as they journeyed into another section of the school. It was quiet, mostly, aside from their mixture of laughter.

"Do you trust me?" Nathan asked, as he looked down at the petite girl.

"I think we're past the point of whether I do or not," she admitted, "but since I haven't made a run for it yet, take it as you'd like." Secretly, despite everything in her being telling her not to, she couldn't help but feel safe in his embrace. He was muscular, tall, and she seemed to mold to his body perfectly. She wasn't used to being in such close proximity to another guy, and she especially wasn't used to the feeling of comfort that it brought.

"Now I ask this because I'm going to share with you my secret spot," Nathan said, as he guided her out into the middle of the court.

"Your secret spot?" she asked, intrigued.

"Okay, not THAT secret spot, but we can revisit that another time," he teased, letting a laugh escape from his lips.

Haley groaned, lifting her leg to playfully kick behind her, "I didn't mean it like that!"

Nathan bit his lip, holding back a smile. It seemed like it was easy to get under her skin when he teased her like this. "Okay, open your eyes."

Haley finally opened her eyes and took a step forward. Immediately when she'd left his embrace she almost felt like something was missing. Her eyes scanned around the gym as she took in the view. It was for the first time she'd ever seen the gym completely empty. Typically, when she'd go to see Luke play, there were crowds in the stand sharing snacks, conversation, and cheers. The cheerleaders would chant along the sidelines and the Raven's mascot would walk amongst the crowd or playfully poke fun at the rival's team's mascot.

"This is your secret spot?" she asked. "Not so secret if you share it with everyone," she commented, turning back to him.

Nathan nodded, assuming he'd receive the reaction she gave. "In a way," he replied, as he walked away to grab a stray basketball. "See, the thing is, this is my secret spot when everyone is gone. I like when the place is empty—it allows me to think," he said as he bounced the ball towards her, "kind of therapeutic for me."

Haley grabbed the ball and held onto it as she looked past him and scanned the room once more, "It is kind of nice when you put it that way." Haley tossed the ball back at him and took a seat on the gym floor. Reaching into her slouchy bag, she pulled out the camera Nathan handed her earlier that night before he drove the two to this location.

Nathan followed her lead and sat across from her on the floor. "If you really want to capture something interesting you should take a few action shots," he advised. Nathan rolled the ball back and forth between his hands. It felt comfortable to always be holding it in some sort of way. It was almost like a security blanket he needed.

"I can take action shots later," Haley reasoned, "I want to know who you are. You may be more interesting than you think… and if you're not, just fake it, because I need a good grade," she teased, making a silly face at him. As she made the silly face at him, Nathan faked her out, acting as if he were going to toss the ball at her. Haley ducked and then swatted at him when she realized he'd tricked her.

Haley tilted her head as she took a good look at him; they typically were never on the same level as each other considering he was about a foot taller than her. She knew of him. She knew his ties to Lucas and all the things he was capable of (in regards to trying to edge Lucas off of the team), that he was a player, and that he was an incredible basketball player but that was it. She wanted to know who he was behind all of that—she knew that there was something more to him than he let on. As she focused the camera on him, she gave a thumbs up to let him know that she started rolling. "So, Nathan Scott, why did you bring me here?"

"This is where I spend most of my time," he answered with a shrug. "It's my home away from home."

"When did you know you wanted to play basketball?" she asked.

Nathan scratched his head as he stalled. He never really thought about when he wanted to play, it was always a given. "I mean… it was always kind of there for me? I think back on when I was a kid and my first memory is with a ball in my hand." As Nathan mentioned it, he gestured to the basketball that rested in his hands. "I can't remember my life when it didn't involve basketball."

Haley nodded. "So what comes next for you then?"

"We're hoping I get a scholarship," Nathan answered, "Everything I do is one step closer to reaching my dreams."

"We're? Who is we?"

Nathan gripped the back of his neck, "Uh, my dad," he answered. "We mapped it out a long time ago." Nathan bit his tongue, holding himself from saying much else. It was no shock to anyone who knew Dan that he was a heavy influence on Nathan pursuing basketball as a career. Nathan loved the game—without a doubt and he was incredible at it—but it came at a price. He'd spent his entire childhood striving to be the best and spending hours at his craft and honing his skills.

"I'm sure he's been a great support," Haley answered lamely. It was hard for her to understand the support he received from Dan that Lucas never got.

"He's been supportive," Nathan nodded, "I think he kind of relives his old days when he watches me play and advises me on how to train. He could arguably be my biggest fan and hater at the same time. Back years ago, it was my 7th birthday, and I was supposed to have a party," Nathan shared, rolling the ball between his hands, "My dad found out there was a tournament so he canceled the party. I was upset, we lost, and he didn't speak to me for the rest of the day—the week even. From that day on playing didn't just mean making shots and doing the best I could… it became this chase of making my dad proud. If you ever met him you'd know that's nearly impossible."

"Wow," Haley mouthed, taken back by his response. "That's… that's kind of heartbreaking, Nathan." She could see it in his eyes that there was a heaviness to him. That despite the macho persona he presents himself as, he felt low just as anyone else does. It was for the first time she saw him as someone other than Lucas' half-brother. She saw him as her friend… someone she wanted to comfort and help. "You'll never to play for somebody else," she advised, "You can only do it for you. As long as you're proud of your work and your accomplishments no one can take that from you."

Nathan lifted his head and locked eyes with her. He wanted to pull away from her gaze but he couldn't break the hold her brown eyes had over him. She looked at him like she could see the real him but also see what he could be. It was as if she had some sort of power over him. He'd never talked like this with anyone before, not even his ex-girlfriend Peyton. He'd never allowed himself to be so vulnerable with someone; it was uncomfortable for him. Nathan manage to pull his line of vision away from her and noticed the camera was still filming him. "I didn't mean to turn this into some sob story," he stated, uneasily, "is it cool if we edit some of this stuff?"

Before Haley could think her actions through, she reached her hand out to touch his. Her small hand grasped onto his and gave it a slight squeeze just before she pulled away, "Of course. Thank you for trusting me enough to tell me this. I won't say anything to anyone," she assured, turning the camera off. "If you ever need a friend I'm here, okay?"

"Okay," he responded, with a smile. His eyes remained fixed on his hand she'd just touched. When her skin made contact with his he'd felt the same shiver that went through him when he'd placed the bracelet on her. Looking towards her wrist, Nathan chuckled. "For someone who doesn't like me very much you're still wearing the bracelet I gave you."

Haley immediately tugged her sleeves over her wrists when he'd observed the bracelet. She didn't want to admit that she'd worn it every day since. She couldn't understand for the life of her why it was still on but she couldn't bring herself to take it off either. "A gift is a gift," she shrugged, as she silently cursed at herself. Just what Nathan needed, an ego boost.

"I like that you're wearing it," Nathan admitted.

"Really?"

"Yea-," before Nathan could say another word, Coach Whitey pushed open the double doors and entered the gym. "What in the Sam Hill are you two doing here? It's after hours! How did you get in here?"

Haley's eyes widened at the sound of Whitey's voice. She didn't even consider how Nathan managed to get access to the gym. Within seconds she started to think of the consequences of trespassing on school grounds.

"You have about 10 seconds to get out of my gym and go on home before I contact Principal Turner, you understand me?" he asked, opening a door that lead to outside of the school.

Nathan and Haley scrambled to their feet as they made rushed apologies in passing. Nathan leaned down motioning to Haley to jump on his back. While she felt unsteady about it, she looked at Whitey who was watching his clock like he was timing them. Seeing as Nathan was much quicker than her, she wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. Nathan took off quickly as she held onto him tight. As he ran out towards the parking lot, Nathan playfully spun around and leaned her in certain ways to cause her to just grip tighter and laugh harder.

"You can put me down now," she said in between laughs.

"Do you trust me?" he asked, the same question he'd asked her in the beginning of the night.

Despite her pausing before answering, Haley answered truthfully, "I actually do."

Without either of them noticing, the two both wore the biggest grins on their faces. It was a shared moment that they'd felt earlier, a moment of honest connection. Nathan looked over his shoulder and smirked, "You better hold tight then."

As the last words left his lips Nathan took off running and spinning again. Just as he suggested, Haley held him close. She couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed this much with someone and he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so carefree.

* * *

 **Note:  
Hey everyone! I really hope you enjoy the update that I made. I think I'll be doing more writing this weekend so keep an eye out! Also PLEASE let me know your thoughts about this chapter. I want to know your opinions: am I moving too fast/slow, am I writing the characters okay, or if you think the storyline isn't doing it for you. Again I'm very new to this and would really appreciate the feedback!**

 **-B**


	4. Chapter 4

"Guess who has a date tonight?" Lucas asked, as he took a seat on the stool at the café bar.

"Well I know it's not you," she answered, as she finished repacking the containers of sweeteners and half n' half. The café fell into a lull during certain times of the day, so Haley took advantage of up keeping the small details that made the place flow smoothly. She'd been given the responsibility of overseeing the café while Karen placed the finishing touches on Tric, an all-ages club she was opening with the help of a classmate, Peyton Sawyer.

"As I was saying," Lucas began, searching his backpack for a book he planned on reading, before Haley interrupted him once more.

"Aren't you coming to the grand opening tonight? Luke, you know, you really should be there. She could really use the support," she mentioned, "I mean after everything she does for you, this is a huge step for her. What if-"

"Haley," Lucas interjected, "let me finish talking."

"I'm listening," Haley said, as she wiped the space in front of him.

"So, me and you are going to go to Tric tonight with dates…" he answered, in a tight voice.

Instantly, Haley stopped what she was doing and set the sugar packets down, "Explain."

Lucas leaned over the table and grabbed the fresh pot of coffee and fixed himself a drink. His movements were slow and cautious. He could feel his eyes on her with every move he made. "Well," he began with a laugh, "you see," he added as he poured half n' half in the cup and stirred everything together.

"Lucas Eugene Scott, you better start talking," Haley demanded, inching closer to him.

"Okay, okay," he said, throwing his hands up in surrender. "I'm going out with Brooke tonight…," he said, blowing on his cup of coffee, "and you're going out with Jake."

"Jake- like Jake Jagielski, Jake?" she asked, as she tripped over her words and felt her face heat up. She'd jokingly mentioned how she thought he was cute before but she'd never really talked to the guy; unless you count saying 'thank you' when he passed her a paper in class.

Lucas nodded. "I was at my locker today grabbing a few books for class and I was talking to Jake. Brooke came up to me, asked what my plans were for the night, and she sort of played matchmaker a bit?" Lucas looked up at her with pleading eyes, "C'mon, Hales, please do me this solid. It's Brooke."

Haley sighed, running a hand through her hair. She felt weird being set up, especially with someone she didn't even know if she had anything in common with. "Luke…" she said, feeling uneasy.

"If you're really against everything I'll tell Brooke the whole thing is off. You and me can just go," he offered.

"Because that's not going to make me feel guilty at all," she said, crossing her arms.

"Hales, it's always going to be me and you. I wouldn't do anything that would purposely upset you. I don't want to go if you don't want to be there."

Haley looked into his eyes and softly nodded, "Okay, what the hell," she agreed. "You owe me. Big time."

Lucas smiled, pumping his fist. "Oh, right, my mom said you can close early tonight because of Tric."

Haley raised her eyebrow, her lips slightly parted. "Were you not going to tell me if I didn't agree to go?"

"Well, it's not like you'd need the time to get yourself ready for the date, so," Lucas answered, laughing.

"You're unbelievable," she exclaimed, tossing a rag at him. "So what time should I be ready?"

"Another thing," Lucas said, uneasy, "I told Brooke you'd be more than happy to get ready with her. She'll probably be coming to your house in an hour or so?"

"LUKE," Haley exclaimed, "What happened to not wanting to upset me and making me feel uncomfortable?"

"How much harm can she do? She had a weird falling out with Peyton that she won't talk about so she wants a girl friend to do this sort of stuff with. Plus, you can talk to her and get to know her. I want you to like her."

* * *

Haley bit her lip and sighed. "This place?" Haley said, gesturing to the café around her, "Yea, you're going to close up. I have to go run around my house and make sure I hide anything super embarrassing because Brooke Davis is coming!" she exclaimed, glaring at Lucas. "Also, don't think for a second this is you making up for all of this."

Haley stood in the middle of the doorway and looked around her room. She'd never had anyone in her room before aside from Lucas and she was suddenly becoming aware of all the little details that stood out. Her bookcase stood tall with books crammed on each shelf. It was a combination of hers and Luke's, just as his bookshelf was. The two spent years trading and lending that it became lost of who really owned the book. She kind of liked it that way though. They'd write in the margins of pages or leave a sticky note with something they really enjoyed from the passage or wanted to highlight.

Along her wall was a collage of pictures; the pictures were mainly of her family. Pictures from the past, pictures of her brothers and sisters, and things currently. Included on her wall were pictures of Lucas and Karen. She liked to think of herself as Karen's daughter. When things were chaotic in her home she could always skip away to their house and blend into their life. It was easy sometimes to feel a little left out in the James' household, but never at the Roe/Scott home. Haley stepped closer and touched a picture on her wall that was of Lucas, Karen, and her at the top of a cliff. It was an image of when the three of them and Keith went on a road trip. She and Lucas had crafted the perfect playlist for the ride and purchased an ungodly amount of junk food to hold them over. They'd spent nights sleeping in sketchy motels, hiked steep trails, and it was one of her favorite memories to date.

As Haley turned she noticed her old stuffed animal that she'd kept since she was a kid. Frowning, she walked over to it and picked him up. "I'm sorry, bud. It's just for the time being," she apologized, walking over to her closet and hid it out of sight. Haley ran her fingers across the clothes in her closet wondering what she should wear.

"Don't worry, I've got it covered!" She heard from behind. Haley jumped and turned to find Brooke with clothes in her hand and a smile on her face. With a hand on her chest, Haley calmed herself down and offered a smile, "Hey, sorry, I didn't hear you come up the steps."

Brooke laid the clothes down on Haley's bed and made her way over to Haley and gave her a hug. "I'm so happy you wanted to get ready with me. I love this kind of stuff! You are going to look so hot, trust me!" Brooke assured her, giving her arm a squeeze. "Okay, I brought a couple of tops that would look amazing on you, but I'm really feeling this choice," she said, holding up a top. "It's a subtle sexy, which is totally you! Plus, green is SO your color!"

Haley looked at Brooke with a loss of words. She could tell Brooke was being genuine, but Haley was unsure of how to respond. She always wore the same type of clothes; if it was comfortable and covered her, it was perfect. She couldn't lie though, the top Brooke held up for her was cute. Haley stepped closer and reached out for it. "I'll give it a shot," Haley said with a smile.

"How do you feel about loose curls?" Brooke asked. "I brought a curling wand too," she offered, reaching into her bag. "I know you had a different idea of how tonight was going to go, but I'm really excited to get to know who Luke is always gushing about. He said we'd get along and I think he was right."

Haley bit her lip thinking about how she should respond. She could see that Brooke was really trying and making an effort with her and she knew if she was going to be a good friend to Lucas she should make the effort too. "I'm going to let you make the big choices for tonight," Haley answered, pulling on her hair tie and letting her hair fall past her shoulders. "Make me Tric ready?"

Brooke squealed and clapped her hands together leading Haley over to Haley's vanity, "I thought you'd never ask!"

Haley sat in front of the mirror as she applied her makeup while Brooke began to curl her hair. While she was going to let Brooke take the lead with her look for the night, Haley still preferred to have control over the makeup. She was a fan of a more natural look and was not ready to compromise on that matter. The conversation with Brooke wasn't so bad. Brooke had asked Haley questions about her relationship with Lucas, what classes she was taking, tutoring, and boys, of course.

"So, Jake's cute," Brooke commented, raising her eyebrows. "I could tell he was a little nervous about tonight but I think the two of you will really hit it off."

Haley averted her eyes and looked down at her hands, "You think so?"

"Oh of course. He's a total catch. I think he's very picky about who he dates—he just about never goes out—so you must be pretty special, tutor girl."

"Tutor girl?" Haley asked, amused.

"We're friends now and friends give each other nicknames."

Haley smiled to herself, looking up at the soft curls that cascaded past her shoulders. Lucas was right; Brooke was great and she could see why Lucas was into her. She was very good at making you feel important and cared about.

"All done!" Brooke said with a smile. "You're going to turn a few heads."

* * *

Nathan laid in his bed, looking up at the ceiling as he tossed a basketball. He'd been waiting for someone to shoot him a text and let him know where the party for the night was being held. His mom was home from her business trip and he'd failed to swipe the key to the beach house to throw a party himself.

Just as Nathan tossed the ball in the air once more, his phone buzzed.

 _Tim: A couple of the guys on the team were gonna head to that club opening tonight. You in?_

 _Nathan: I guess. Is that all that's going on tonight?_

 _Tim: Pretty much. See you there_.

Nathan groaned. The last thing he wanted to do was go to an all-ages club; zero alcohol, zero fun. Suddenly, Nathan realized who was hosting the grand opening: Karen Roe. That meant that Lucas would be there and if he was there Haley would be too. If he couldn't have any fun with alcohol, he could at least have fun screwing with Lucas. Nathan scrolled through his messages until he found Haley's contact.

 _Nathan: Haley James, save me a dance tonight? I assume you'll be at Tric…_

After a few minutes, Nathan's phone buzzed and he raised an eyebrow at her response. He'd figured after the other night she was warming up to him a little bit but it didn't seem so anymore.

 _Haley: I'm going out with a group tonight… but maybe I'll see you around- convince someone else to dance with you and your two left feet!_

* * *

 **Note:**

 **Clearly a filler chapter BUT I really love the idea of exploring Haley making a new friend and maybe even a love interest?! I'm really in the writing mood and have the time this weekend. As always, please leave feedback. It's very helpful!**

 **-B**


	5. Chapter 5

"Lucas, this place is amazing!" Haley exclaimed, as she looked around the crowded room. Lucas enveloped her in a hug as she approached him and Jake. "Karen really outdid herself."

"I know, right? I feel like this was what Tree Hill needed," he agreed. "Hey, pretty girl," he smiled, as he then pulled Brooke into a hug. After the two parted, Lucas gestured to the guy beside him. "Hales, this is Jake. Jake, this is Haley."

Haley shyly smiled up at Jake. He had warm brown eyes and his hair was a tousled mixture of wavy with a few curls. She could feel butterflies in the pit of her stomach as their visions aligned and she suddenly felt self-conscious of how she looked. While Brooke helped her get ready, she still felt a bit unsure of herself seeing as how this wasn't how she normally looked.

"Doesn't she look hot?" Brooke asked, "A little B. Davis help can go a long way."

Haley scrunched her face as she thought about Brooke's words; it sounded a bit like a backhanded compliment but she chose to ignore it and wish away the blush that was rising on her face.

"You look really great," Jake assured her, grasping at the back of his neck.

Just before Haley could get a word in, Lucas tugged on Brooke's hand and started to back away. "I'm going to go find my mom and wish her congrats. We'll meet up with you two after?"

Haley's eyes widened, trying to communicate with Luke that she didn't want to be left alone with Jake just yet. She watched as Brooke and Lucas disappeared into the crowd and turned to Jake. "I'm sure this is not how you planned on spending your night…," Haley mentioned, unsure of what to say. Should she apologize? Should she ignore the fact that this was an awkward set-up?

"It's not," he conceded, "but, in a way, it's better than what I was going to do," he said, looking over at her with a smile. "Look, I don't ever really do this sort of thing," he confessed, "But it's good to meet you. Lucas talks about you all the time and us meeting was bound to happen anyway, right? Might as well meet sooner than later?"

Haley nodded with a smile, "Pretty good way of looking at it," she said, as she gestured to make their way towards the bar area for a drink. "I don't really do this sort of thing either, to be honest."

"How about we figure it out together then?" Jake offered with a smile.

"I'd like that."

As the two approached the bar they both got a couple of waters to sip on. Taking a seat on the bar stool, Haley turned to Jake and bumped her knee against his. Jake chuckled and reciprocated the gesture. "Alright, so, say TRIC didn't have it's opening tonight… what would you be doing?"

Haley tapped her fingers against her chin as she tried to think of what to say, "Well, if I wasn't working until close, I'd probably be hanging with Luke," Haley answered, laughing as she reflected on the times she spent with him, "For instance, we love to go see really bad and cheap movies. We'll stock up on a ton of snacks and I'll hide them in my purse and we'll just sit in the very back and speak over the characters creating our own story."

Jake laughed, "You know, I used to do something really similar to that when I was younger. My mom loved watching these crazy movies that did not make sense whatsoever-,"

"Lifetime?"

"Yes!" he exclaimed, "They were ridiculous and I'd definitely poke fun at the plot."

"How could you not?" Haley replied, taking a sip of her water, "You'll have to join me and Luke for a movie night."

"Can't tell who would be the third wheel for that one…," he teased, taking a sip of his water.

"We'll see how well you play your cards," she flirted, running a hand through her hair, "So what about you?" she asked, "What would you be doing if you weren't here tonight?"

Jake took a moment to think about his answer. Haley recalled Brooke mentioning that he was a bit reserved and that he didn't go out much; she didn't have a problem with that, considering Haley felt the same way, but something in the air felt like it shifted between them.

"Uh," he stalled, taking a sip of his water, "sometimes I'll go to something someone on the team is throwing? I don't go out all the time though. Not really a priority for me," he shrugged, "I'll play guitar and write some music."

Haley leaned in, intrigued. "What kind of music do you play?"

"Acoustic. Do you play or something?" he asked.

Haley bit her lip. "Maybe? I don't know. Kind of," she rambled, "I like sing and play piano and am trying to teach myself how to play guitar?" she laughed, slightly embarrassed by how inexperienced she must have seemed to him. She'd never really discussed to anyone before about how she'd had an interest in music.

"If you'd ever want to join me, I don't mind helping you learn," he offered. "It'd honestly be really great to have someone to play some music with."

Haley suddenly felt flushed and tried to hide the grin that was creeping on her face, "Count me in."

Jake shared the same smile, looking into her warm, brown eyes, "I'm really glad I came tonight," he confessed. "I didn't peg Brooke to be a good matchmaker."

Haley laughed, resting her hand on his forearm, which was resting on the bar top. She gave his forearm a slight squeeze, "You've got to have a little confidence in things sometimes, you know? Things usually end up okay."

Just as Jake was about to say something, there was an interruption from the stage. Haley and Jake both looked towards the stage to see Peyton standing in the center tapping on a microphone. "Hey everybody, thank you so much for coming out tonight to Tree Hill's first all-ages club! We've got some great local talent for you tonight so let's show them some love," Peyton exclaimed, pausing her welcoming for a moment to let the crowd cheer. "First up we have Jake Jagielski!"

Haley turned in shock, looking at Jake with a surprised expression, "What are you waiting for?"

Jake stood up, grabbing her hand, giving it a light tug, "For you to come up with me."

Haley furiously shook her head, "There is no way, I get really bad stage fright," she refused, closing her eyes, "And zero warning might I add, by the way."

"What ever happened to having a little confidence in some things sometimes?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yea, well, I'm full of bs," she laughed. Haley gave his hand a squeeze, "Go up there and maybe I'll join you next time."

Jake nodded, giving her a smile. "I'm holding you to that."

* * *

Haley leaned against the bar table as she watched Jake with a smile. She admired him for his ability to stand up in front of people he knew, and complete strangers, and do something he really enjoyed without fear of judgement.

"Hey everyone," Jake announced as he leaned into the mic holding his guitar, "I'm going to be playing a few songs for you tonight." As he started to strum he chuckled and leaned up to the mic again, "Also please pretend to enjoy this even if you don't—I'm trying to impress my date over there," he added, nodding in Haley's direction.

Haley blushed, looking down at the ground hoping to avoid any stares. Once she lifted her head up she noticed a familiar girl beside her. Peyton was wearing jeans with a plunged crop top and leather jacket; even though Haley and Peyton weren't close, Haley saw her around school enough to know she had great style.

"Are you taking all my men now?" Peyton asked, with a mixed voice of playfulness and bitterness.

"Excuse me?" Haley asked, taken back by Peyton's question.

"Well you've got Jake," she said, pointing to the stage, "and Nathan's been staring at you all night like a sulky puppy," she stated, nodding over to Nathan across the room, "and he doesn't sulk."

Haley turned to the direction Peyton was pointing out and saw Nathan staring at the two of them with a drink in hand. Nathan was wearing jeans and a black shirt that clung just right to his muscular stature. Haley raised her hand up, offering a small wave and smile. Instantly Nathan his head, walking away without offering any sort of expression. Haley furrowed her eyebrows and looked away, feeling confused and a little rejected.

"As I was saying," Peyton concluded, "you're taking all my men."

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about," Haley said, "I'm not taking anyone's man—are you dating Jake or something?"

Peyton sighed, turning from Haley's side to now directly standing in front of her, "No, I'm not. He's a good guy—a great guy actually," she said, shoving her hands in her jeans, "but if you're using him to make Nathan jealous that's pretty messed up."

"I'm not trying to make Nathan jealous?" Haley stated, confused.

"Sure seems like it to me."

"We're working on a project together," Haley stated, "we might be friends but nothing else is going on," she clarified, with a defensive tone; she'd never spoken to Peyton before and she was feeling attacked. "Also, I've never even talked to Jake before until tonight! You might want to ask your best friend Brooke about that."

Peyton sensed Haley being upset and bit her tongue. Turning away from her for a second she looked up at Jake performing, "I'm working on a project with him too and I told myself I wasn't interested in him and now I'm picking fights with you." Peyton sighed and turned to Haley again, "I'm sorry. Things are going on in my life and I'm taking it out on you," she apologized, "Just be careful, okay? Don't hurt anyone and don't get hurt."

Haley watched Peyton walk away with a mixed set of emotions. Running her hand through her hair she focused on Jake singing. After a few seconds, she found herself calming down and almost hypnotized by his voice. Absentmindedly, she reached for her necklace and played with a little charm that dangled from the chain and nodded along to music.

After Jake's set was finished, thoughts instantly rushed through her mind again centering around the conversation she had with Peyton. She didn't have any intentions of using Jake, but she also didn't know how to put into words how she felt when she saw Nathan disappear after she tried to say hi to him. Biting her lip, Haley pushed through the crowd to meet Jake as he walked off the side of the stage.

"I didn't embarrass you, did I?" Jake asked, as he slid his hands in his pocket and scrunching up his shoulders. As Haley shook her head she watched him relax into a smile, and lean against the wall that was behind him. "Thank god. You had me scared for a second," he teased.

"You were amazing," she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck giving him a quick hug. As she pulled away she'd noticed his cheeks were a bit flushed and turned away from him to hide her own blush. "I'm going to take you up on that offer of showing me how to play, you're a pro."

"It's nothing, really, just always been learning and playing," he replied shyly. Suddenly his phone began to ring and he looked at the screen. A concerned expression quickly appeared on his face and he gestured for Haley to give him a minute. Stepping aside, she heard a few tidbits about someone being sick and he'd be home soon.

"Everything okay?" she asked, resting a hand on his arm for comfort.

"Not entirely," he said looking upset, "I've got to take care of some family business," he explained vaguely, "I'll explain later?"

"Of course," she nodded. "Let me know if I can do anything."

"Next time… come up with me, okay?"

"Pinky promise," she nodded, holding her pinky up. Jake chuckled with a smile and linked his pinky with hers; before she knew it, he slipped away into the crowd.

* * *

Nathan sighed, as he made a slight stumble into his home. It was a long night and not particularly a good one. He'd spent most of the night drinking shitty alcohol Tim had snuck in and making conversation he wasn't interested in. Despite the group he was surrounded with, he felt separated from it all. He found himself scanning the crowd for the brown eyed girl that wasn't quite like the rest.

When he'd seen her, he was taken back. He always thought that she was attractive but he'd never felt so drawn. Her jeans hugged her curves just right and he couldn't help but notice the sliver of skin that was exposed as her top rode up. He watched as she walked across the room with Brooke and reached Luke and his teammate Jake.

It was like wheels turning in his brain and suddenly everything clicked. Haley was on a date with Jake Jagielski. Nathan tilted his head as he was trying to work out how he felt about it. It shouldn't matter to him, but for whatever reason, it sat weird with him. He looked on as Haley and Jake separated themselves from Brooke and Lucas and cozied up by the bar. She looked happy and so did he, but he couldn't say he felt the same. He didn't know a way to describe how he felt—he'd never felt this like this. He wanted to go over there, be by her, and make whatever conversation she was having.

He kept feeling Theresa, a cheerleader, try to get his attention and talk him up but he kept shrugging her off. He was interested in his group's conversation and he wasn't interested in entertaining the idea that he wanted to be there. He contemplated making his way over to Haley during Jake's performance, but once Haley looked his way he froze in place. Reflecting back on the interaction, or lack thereof, he felt like a complete idiot. Why was he acting like this? Running a hand through his hair, Nathan pulled out his phone and searched for her name. Before giving it much thought, or being too proud, he called.

It seemed like the phone rang forever until he heard her soft voice, "Nathan?"

"Hey, is this a bad time?" he asked, pinching the bridge of his noise.

"I mean, you're interrupting my beauty sleep," she joked, sounding sleepy.

"As if you need it," he quickly replied. _What the hell am I doing_? he thought. "Uh," he stalled, as he scratched the back of his neck, "I don't really know why I called."

"Okay," she replied. "Well, I saw you tonight… you kind of blew me off. What was that about?" she asked.

"I don't know," he replied lamely. "I was thrown off guard? I'm sorry."

"Nathan-,"

"Are you dating Jake?" he interjected, boldly.

"I barely know him, Nathan. Why does that matter?"

"I don't know," he responded again.

"Well what do you know, Nathan?" she retorted.

"You looked beautiful tonight," he answered, waiting for some sort of response.

"Have you been drinking?" she asked, with a light laugh.

"A little," he admitted. "Doesn't change what I said."

"You're embarrassing me," she sleepily replied, in a playful tone.

"You asked me what I knew, Haley James," he answered with a wide grin, "I'm only doing what you asked."

"Well, I take back what I said then."

"It doesn't work like that," he playfully replied. Nathan lightly bit the inside of his cheek as he went back and forth over what he wanted to say next. He just kept thinking about the other night in the gym and how she clung tight to him in the parking lot—he just wanted to see her. He wanted to see her look at him and treat him beyond the name Nathan Scott. He wanted her attention.

"What are you doing right now?" he asked.

"Not getting sleep," she teased, "Why?"

"You said you'd see me tonight, didn't you?"

"That was at TRIC," she replied, "Nathan, it's two in the morning, you're being ridiculous."

"And you're playing it too safe, Haley James. I thought we were trying new things together?" he asked, in an attempt to persuade her.

After moments of silence, and Nathan waiting by the phone, he heard her groan as a sign of caving in, "You're serious?"

"Would I be calling you right now if I wasn't?"

"No," she answered.

"I'm not going to hang it over your head. Just say it, you know you want to."

"Now look who isn't being serious," she retorted.

"If you're too chicken to sneak out just admit it and I'll leave it alone," he offered, knowing he could pull an answer out of her.

"Okay, I'm in."

* * *

 **Note:**

 **Hey everyone! Really sorry I haven't been able to update as quickly as usual. Things have been a little hectic with school and travel. Please let me know what you think! I always appreciate the feedback :)**


	6. Chapter 6

Without needing to say it, the best part about Tree Hill was the night sky. Living in a small town, you could always look up to see a blanket of stars hanging above your head and feel a calmness by the quiet that surrounded you. It was a kind of sight, or experience, that you wanted to share with someone. Nathan didn't have a plan in mind when he rang Haley up, but what he knew was that he wanted to see her, and she was exactly the person he wanted to share that feeling of calm with.

Nathan and Haley walked along the dock of his family's beach home and listened to the sound of the waves crashing. A blanket draped over Haley's shoulders, and wrapped around her tiny frame to keep her warm. Every now and then a breeze would pass and her curled hair would wildly get tousled, causing a grin to spread across her lips. She looked beautiful and he was absolutely floored by it.

"You know," she confessed, looking ahead, "I always wondered what it'd be like to come here."

"Really?" Nathan asked, confused. "Why is that?"

"I'd always hear people talking about it in the halls, you know? Like if someone was going, or what happened last time, and the whole idea of making plans to get ready… and get crazy drunk," she explained. "All the big parties would get thrown here. It's seen as some rite of passage at our school; if you're invited, you're a somebody."

"You are a somebody," he answered, feeling kind of low about her answer. "I mean it. You're way better than all the people who go to those things."

Haley shrugged, holding the blanket tighter around her body, "You don't have to say that. Really, my ego is not bruised anymore," she chuckled.

"Haley," Nathan said, turning to face her, "If I had known who you were before, you'd be first on my list. I like having you around—I wouldn't lie about that."

Haley glanced over at him and felt the sincerity of his answer. He had been so genuine with her lately that it threw her off. She was used to him coming off as a jerk, or a charmer, but not this. She couldn't deny it though, she liked seeing this side of him. Looking over at him, she gave his arm a quick squeeze, "I like having you around too."

Nathan looked away, smiling to himself over her words. Turning back to her, he raised his eyebrows, and asked in a playful tone, "Have you never been drunk before, Haley James?"

"That is NOT going in our project," she laughed, swatting at him.

Nathan smirked, grabbing her hand, and pulled her close. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and he felt her lean into his side. "Okay, but let's get back to the situation at hand. You've never drank before?"

"I've had some!" she exclaimed, "Me and Luke would just sneak some of the alcohol that Keith and Karen had stored in the café, so it wasn't much."

"You and Luke, eh?" Nathan asked, feeling bitter about his half-brother. He seemed to have everything Nathan wanted lately: basketball, grades, and Haley.

"You know," Haley answered, and without even thinking about it, she naturally wrapped her arms around his torso so that she was hugging him, "I really appreciate the fact that you've laid off Lucas. I don't hear him talking about the hazing anymore."

Nathan smiled, as he felt her hands brush against him and curled around him, "All that Luke stuff probably doesn't make me seem like a good guy, does it?"

"Why would you do it?" Haley asked, "I mean, when I'm with you it doesn't even seem like it's something you're capable of."

Nathan sighed, "It's hard to explain."

"Try me," she encouraged, looking up at him.

"I just feel like I've always been competing with him since I was young, whether Luke knew it or not," he admitted. "I always knew I had a half-brother and I knew that he was good. Maybe it was partially why he pushes me so much. But I guess, as twisted as it sounds, I never wanted my dad to regret staying with us," he shrugged, "and picking me."

Haley quietly processed everything he told her. She just knew if Lucas and Nathan tried, they could get along. Their problems were rooted in Dan, not each other.

"So," he continued, "when Lucas joined the team I felt threatened. I didn't want him to mess up everything I've worked for, and I thought if I pushed him enough he'd leave the team. Clearly, that didn't work."

"He's just as stubborn as you are," Haley replied.

"Seems so," Nathan agreed. Nathan continued to walk with her as the idea of her sneaking alcohol from the café crept back into his head; he chuckled at the thought.

"What are you laughing at up there?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I just can't picture you stealing liquor from your work," he replied. "Doesn't seem very like you."

"There's a lot of things you don't know about me," she stated, spinning from his side to standing in front of him.

"Oh yea?" he asked, intrigued.

"Yea," she nodded confidently, and bit her lip, "Where's your liquor at?"

* * *

"What are you doing?" Nathan asked Haley, laughing as she frantically searched the cupboards of his kitchen. She'd dragged him along, having him open each cabinet for her that was out of reach. Haley was a few shots deep at this point and was a bit giggly, matched with a wide grin.

"Isn't it obvious?" she asked.

"Not at all," he replied, amused as her petite frame kept her from reaching shelves that he needed to sift though. "Mind telling me what I'm looking for so I can help you?"

"Macaroni and cheese," she answered, "You have that, right?"

"Yea…," he replied slowly, walking over to the pantry to grab a box. "That's your drunk go-to food?" he asked, setting the box down on the kitchen island.

Haley turned to him, her eyes lit up. "It's my go-to food period," she replied, "I'll have you know I'm a master chef when it comes to this stuff. You sit down and I'll make us some," she insisted.

"Go-to food period, eh?"

"Macaroni and cheese is food of the gods," she replied, looking at him with a serious expression.

Nathan bit down on his lip trying to contain his laughter, "Yea, if the gods are five-year olds."

"Do you want me to share or not?" she asked.

With his hands, up in surrender, he kept quiet. Nathan watched her maneuver around the kitchen, every now and then taking a sip from her mixed drink. She began dancing along to the music he was playing over the speakers in the home. He watched as her hips moved along to the beat, and her wild hair swaying along. As much as he tried to tear his eyes away from her, he couldn't; she was sexy and she had no idea of it.

As time passed, Haley brought a dish of macaroni and cheese over to the kitchen island that Nathan was sitting at. Mixing the dish around, she dug a little bit of the pasta out and blew on it carefully before passing it to Nathan, "Tell me what you think."

Nathan took a bite and thought about it for a moment, "Too much mac, not enough cheese."

"You're the type of person I like to surround myself with," she teased, adding more cheese to their meal, "This is how I prefer it but I always hold off when it's a new person."

"Haley James, I'm honored to be that person for you," he answered back in a flirtatious tone. As she approached him again with the macaroni in a container of Tupperware, she looked at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked.

"Grab the blanket, we're going to wait for the sunrise," she stated, as if it were that obvious.

Nathan raised his eyebrows in surprise but did as she suggested. After grabbing the blanket, he grabbed his hoodie for her and their drinks.

Making their way back out to the dock, Nathan looked over at Haley with a smile, "Thank you," he said simply.

"For what?" she asked.

"For coming tonight," he answered. "I know you didn't really want to, but this is fun, you know, hanging out—the two of us."

Haley was thankful for the darkness that surrounded them, due to the blush that crept to her cheeks. She was swimming in his sweatshirt but it smelled nice and kept her warm. She knew at this point that any time he'd call she'd be wherever needed. As much as she pretended she was disinterested over the phone, or tried to come up with reasons as to why she shouldn't spend time with Nathan, she always felt good around him. She knew that Lucas didn't like when they spent time together, which is why she didn't say she was with him now, but what would happen if they started spending more time together? What would she do then? She didn't want to choose between them.

Glancing over, she noticed Nathan looked a little concerned. Catching on that he was waiting for her to say something, she offered him a smile as he laid the blanket flat on the sand, "I wanted to come. This is much better than how I was going to spend my night," she answered truthfully, setting down the container of food, "I can sleep anytime. Watching the sunrise on the beach? I don't do that often."

Slipping her sneakers off, Haley dug her toes in the sand and walked close to the water. She closed her eyes and breathed in the ocean air, feeling calm, "Want to know a secret?" she asked him.

"Sure," he replied, taking a tip of his drink.

"When I was a little girl I wanted to be a mermaid," she replied, "I grew up with gorgeous older sisters, and brothers, but my sisters all had something unique about them and I looked up to them for different reasons," she continued, opening her eyes to stare at the ocean ahead, "I compared myself to Ariel almost," she laughed. "I've always loved to sing and I always felt like that was what made me feel beautiful," she answered simply, holding onto the charm that dangled from her necklace. "Not to mention, she had badass hair and could swim around all day," she added with a laugh, sticking her tongue out at Nathan.

"You sing?" he asked, "When were you going to tell me?" he asked, taking another sip of his drink.

"That was going to be my secret place," she shared, taking a sip of her own drink. "I was going to take you to the café and play on the piano that's there. I always play after I close up," she shared.

"Would you sing for me now?" he asked, smiling at the idea of it.

"Oh I have no idea what I'd sing," she said, covering her hands over her face embarrassed, "Next video we shoot," she offered, "I'll sing you something, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed, tilting his cup up and finishing the rest of his drink. Extending his arm, he offered his hand out to her to grab.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a giggle.

"Dance with me," he suggested, lightly tugging her hand.

Haley bit her lip, grabbing tight, and let him pull her close. The two moved together with the sound of the waves crashing beside them. She'd rested her head against his chest, with her hands resting flat on his back, and his arms wrapped around her waist. A million thoughts were rushing through her mind as the two moved in sync. _How was she feeling about what was happening? What was Nathan thinking? Was she somehow hurting Jake if he knew she was with Nathan right now?_

As a wave crashed and got too close, Haley clutched his shirt and squealed with a fit of laughter at the cold water that rushed over her feet. As the water retreated from their toes, she decided to let all her thoughts get taken with it. She wanted to live in the moment.

Nathan stepped away from her, holding her hand, and twirled her around. It was weird, dancing with her, but a good weird. He'd never done anything of this sort with a girl before so it was all new and strange, but at the same time, felt very natural. He twirled her again and then pulled her close so that her back was to him and she leaned her body into his. As he held her, he took a minute to enjoy the moment, as if he were taking the time to take a mental picture of it all. The way the stars looked, the way she looked in his sweatshirt, and the way he felt in that moment.

After the brief pause, Nathan pulled away from her, and stood by her side. Gesturing to her, he motioned for her to come sit by him on the blanket. With a giant grin, she sat close to him, "I almost forgot about this," she laughed, taking a bite of the pasta. "Kind of cold at this point, but I think we should take into consideration the amount of dedication I had towards making this."

Nathan grabbed the spoon from her hand and scooped himself out some. As he was about to take a bite, Haley leaned up and got in the way, taking more for herself. Nathan looked over at her with a smile. "What? I'm hungry," she admitted, hands up in the air. Reaching over him for more to drink, Nathan gently held the bottle next to him, "Are you sure you want more?"

"Yes," she answered, tilting her head, holding her cup out.

"I've never seen you like this," he mentioned with a laugh, pouring more for her.

Taking a sip of her drink, she smiled, leaning a little close. "Well, now you have."

Nathan held his breath for a moment as Haley's face got a little too close. His eyes flickered from her eyes to her lips, as she did the same to him. He suddenly felt nervous, wondering what he should do, even though he very well knew what he wanted. "Haley-," he said softly, looking into her eyes again.

It was as if she sensed what was about to happen between them that she pulled back. Leaning back onto her hands, Haley looked ahead at the ocean and as the sky began to change colors.

Nathan, unsure of how to feel and what to make of that moment, leaned back on his hands as well, his fingers brushing hers as he settled.

"Thank you," she said quietly, just above a whisper.

"For what?" he asked, a little amused that they seemed to be repeating conversation from earlier in the night.

"For making me feel alive tonight," she answered simply. "I forget what it's like sometimes, it's like I make it take a backseat and focus so hard on what I need to do instead."

"It's always there," he assured her, "I think you just get caught in your head."

Haley nodded, "I'm trying to do less of that.," she admitted, "and be more present," she replied, nodding forth to the view in front of them. "It's never boring with you."

"Well, you pull me back down," he stated honestly, "I get carried away with all the pressure riding on me, and my ego, and you seem to break me out of that head-space. So, thank you."

"I help you, you help me?" she asked, with a yawn.

"Haley James, just admit you want me around more," he teased, playfully nudging her foot with his.

"Fine," she said, glancing over at him, catching his blue eyes staring at her, "I want you around more."

Nathan took note of her shivering frame and the past few yawns she'd made. Standing up, Nathan held his hand out to her and pulled her up. Haley took one last look at the ocean in front of them and smiled, sleepy. "Breathtaking, isn't it?" Nathan nodded in agreement, never taking his eyes off her.

"Let's get you inside," he offered, leaning down so she could hop on his back. As she wrapped her arms around his neck, she faltered a bit when it came to wrapping her legs around him. Adjusting her grip, her embrace became tighter as he walked up the steps, "Oh no," she quietly said, shaking her head, "You're going to have to put me down."

"Why?" he asked, confused.

"I think I'm going to be sick if not," she stated, "I need to be on land."

Nathan chuckled in amusement as he set her down, "How about we try to make it inside before you get sick. I'll get you some water and you can change into a different set of clothes?" he offered nodding to the outfit she wore out to TRIC and his hoodie. "They won't fit you very well, but you'll look good in them, and I'm sure it'll be more comfortable."

Haley closed her eyes, nodding. "I kind of like the hoodie though, to be honest. Think I can keep it for the night?" she asked.

"You can keep it," he suggested, holding his hand out to hers, "Now, let's get inside."

* * *

 **Note:**

 **This chapter was super fun to write! I really enjoy exploring Nathan falling hard and exploring this side of himself and Haley trying to resist but...**  
 **Please let me know your thoughts! I always appreciate the feedback and support 3**


	7. Chapter 7

"You SLEPT with Nathan Scott?!" Brooke exclaimed in a whispered tone.

Haley leaned over the café's high-top table and placed both hands on the side of Brooke's face, "Please stop talking," she requested, pulling away from Brooke and grabbing a pot of coffee to pour a cup for herself. "As you can see I am very hungover and the last thing I want to do right now is analyze my love life… or lack thereof."

Brooke shook her head, crossing her arms against her chest, "No way, tutor girl. You can't expect me to not ask you any questions when you called me to pick you up from his beach house," she retorted, "also rolling out of bed in his clothes and going to work—even I don't do that!"

Haley looked down at herself and shrugged. She was wearing the jeans she'd worn last night but was currently in one of his basketball tournament tees, tied at the hip because of how large it fit. She didn't have time to grab a spare change of clothes from her house or she'd be late to work and she did not want to wear the same outfit she'd worn to TRIC to the café. "Nothing happened," Haley insisted. Holding the cup of coffee between her hands, Haley closed her eyes and took a sip of her drink and sighed, "I feel like I've been hit by a train."

"Tired from all the Nathan Scott sex you were having?" Brooke teased, wiggling her eyebrows.

Haley opened her eyes, glaring at Brooke, "I'm going to have to tell you everything that happened, don't I?"

Brooke smiled, motioning Haley to pour her more coffee, "I've got all day."

If it were any other day Haley would be relieved to share all this Nathan stuff with her but there were two things that were bothering her: the hangover that was causing her head to pound and Lucas. Because, quite honestly, all Haley wanted to do was talk about Nathan; it crushed her knowing that Lucas would be upset about whatever was going on between Nathan and her—she didn't want it to come between their friendship.

Biting her lip, and debating on what she should say, she threw her hands up and shrugged, "Okay, but you need to promise me you won't tell Lucas," Haley warned, "I want to tell him myself. He said he was going to stop by sometime during my shift."

In response, Brooke made the motion of 'crossing her heart' and leaning in, ready to hear the details of Haley's night.

"So he called me around two in the morning-,"

"Hot booty call," Brooke teased, before catching Haley's eyes, "Sorry, listening."

"And he told me I looked beautiful, and asked if I was dating Jake, and wanted to meet up with me," Haley said simply, even though her lips curled into a smile at the word beautiful. "It wasn't a call to hook up, though," she stated, thinking of their night in flashes, "We talked, we danced, we laughed, we drank," Haley shared, grinning. "It was," Haley paused trying to find the right words to describe their night, "the most fun I've had in a while."

Brooke sat across from her, mouth slightly ajar, "Nathan Scott?"

Haley nodded, taking a sip of her coffee, "Right? He's just so different than I thought he was."

"So then what happened?" Brooke asked, "Did you at least kiss? Anything?"

Haley shook her head, "I think there was a moment when a kiss almost happened but I kind of put an end to that," Haley mentioned glumly, "I didn't know what his intentions were, and I had Luke in the back of my mind, and even Jake-,"

"Jake," Brooke stated, with a frown, "I think he likes you, tutor girl. You should talk to him too before anything else happens between you and Nate," she advised. "Jake's a great guy and he deserves that much."

Haley groaned, running a hand through her hair, "He is a great guy. Honestly, the kind of guy I need…"

"But not who you want," Brooke stated, finishing Haley's sentence.

Haley looked up at Brooke and nodded, "I feel like I could've really liked Jake. We have some things in common—something that could really connect us," she shared, "But there's just something about Nathan…," she trailed off, "Is that crazy?"

"You are totally crushed out on a Scott," she grinned, "and thank god it's not mine."

"He lets me in," Haley said simply, "there's like this whole side to him that he's kept hidden and he shares it with me. When I'm with him I feel brave and outgoing," she listed, "and happy and even lightheaded," she laughed.

"So what happened this morning?" Brooke asked.

"I left before he woke up," Haley grimaced. "I didn't know what to make of last night, and what he was thinking, and I guess I was just afraid," she rambled. "When I woke up his arm was wrapped around me," she smiled, "It honestly took everything out of me to leave."

"You slept in his bed and nothing happened?" Brooke questioned, in shock, "Nathan Scott? Really?"

Haley rolled her eyes, laughing at Brooke's reaction, "He even offered to sleep on the couch; I was the one who suggested for us both to sleep in his bed. I didn't want to put him out…and I was drunk…," Haley reasoned, "and if I'm being completely and totally honest with myself I just kept thinking of how ridiculously hot he is and I wanted more time with him." By now, Haley had fumbled with and twisted a rag that was resting on the countertop nearby.

Brooke watched on in amusement and excitement as Haley rambled on about her crush. She'd watched the drama of Nathan and Peyton playout for quite a long time and she felt as if Haley was talking about a stranger to her; Nathan Scott was not a man of romance in her book. "Wow," Brooke stated, taken aback, "He's absolutely smitten," Brooke giggled, "Seriously, Haley. I've been friends with him for years and Peyton even dated him—this never happened. Ever."

Haley bit her lip, "My stomach is in knots over this. Am I being stupid? It'll probably never even happen-," she babbled, as if she could talk herself out of her feelings.

Brooke shook her head, "Tutor girl, relax." Brooke reached her hand out and grabbed the rag from Haley's grip, "You're going to give yourself like friction burn or something," she chuckled, setting the rag down beside her. "I think you guys might have something good going on between you. I can always play matchmaker again," she said, raising her brows.

"I'll have to get back to you on that," Haley teased, "Thanks for listening to all of this, by the way. I really needed someone to bounce this stuff off of. But again, just keep this to yourself."

Brooke groaned, "Normally I wouldn't, but I'm trying this new thing with appeasing the gods or something and not making the universe any messier… so secret is safe with me."

Haley nodded in gratitude, "Coffee is on me then."

* * *

As Haley finished wiping down tables and making small talk with customers, Lucas walked into the café and sat beside Brooke. "Hey, pretty girl," he greeted, giving her a quick kiss. "Have you been waiting a long time for me?" he asked, confused as to why she was at the café before him. Typically, Brooke was always running late for things.

"I've been keeping Haley company," she informed him. "Watch out," she warned, "I might make her my best friend."

"Have I mentioned how great you are lately?" he asked, appreciating the fact that Brooke and Haley were bonding with each other.

Brooke hummed, playfully thinking about his question, "I'm sure you could prove it to me later."

Lucas grinned, laughing quietly to himself, "Is that an invitation, Brooke Davis?"

Brooke looked up and noticed Haley eyeing the two of them. Knowing that she needed time to talk to Lucas about Nathan, Brooke began to gather her purse and jacket, "Guess we'll find out later," she said, leaning in and giving him a kiss. "I forgot that there is a sale a few stores down and you do not want me missing out on it," she advised. Just before Brooke walked away, she whispered in his ear, "It involves a lot of lace."

Seeing as though the afternoon rush wandered out, Haley took the opportunity to go on break while another café worker kept an eye on the area. As she approached Luke she was met with furrowed brows.

"Where's that shirt from?" he asked, "Doesn't look like something of mine."

"That's because it's not," she said quietly.

"Jake's?" he asked, "I didn't realize you guys had THAT great of a time," he joked.

"Okay, you're not going to like this," she prefaced, twirling hair that was pulled back in a ponytail and tugged on it, "in fact, you're going to hate this," she continued, rambling, "But I feel like I should tell you in the interest of full friendship disclosure."

"Did he pressure you or something?" he asked, sitting up straight in his seat, his full attention on her.

Haley paced, shaking her head, "No, nothing like that." For someone who was at the top of her class and tutored students often, she felt as if she'd completely forgotten how to string words together and say what she so desperately needed to tell him. "It's just—you're just—you might freak out over it a bit."

"I mean, what could really be worse than you working on a project with Nathan all semester, eh?"

As the very last few words left Luke's mouth, Haley held eye contact with him, looking guilty. After a long pause, a look of realization spread across Luke's face. "You like him," he stated quietly.

"Luke, do not freak out on me," Haley warned, "I can't help it. We don't decide who we like… it just happens."

"Do you understand what you're getting yourself into?" he asked, his voice tight and angry, "What could you possibly like in the guy?"

"Different stuff," she offered, "We connect. Yes, he can be a total ass sometimes, but it's a total defense mechanism. He really opens up with me, Lucas."

"You know how I feel about him," he said, shaking his head and turning away from her.

"I know…," Haley said quietly, "and I'm sorry for that, I am," she apologized, placing a hand on his arm.

Lucas turned and looked down at her, specifically, at her shirt. "So that's his?" he asked, his tone still just as heated as before.

Haley took a step back from him and folded her arms, looking away. "Look, nothing happened, but even if it did, I'm not going to ask you your permission about this," she said, quietly, "I just wanted to tell you because you're my best friend and I don't want to keep this from you."

Luke sighed, as he stayed quiet for almost a solid minute. As much as he hated Nathan, he had to trust that Haley knew what she was doing. Even if he didn't like it, he had to support her. As he finally looked at her again who appeared so much smaller than usual, he nodded. "I get it, okay? You're right, you can't help who you like—it just happens."

Haley picked her head up and offered a small smile out of relief.

"But just do me a favor?" he asked. "Be careful."

Haley nodded, separating the space between them with a hug, "Thanks, Luke."

* * *

Nathan stirred, stretching his arms out before opening his eyes. Turning his head to the side of him, he frowned noting the empty space. It made it seem like the night before was almost like a dream; however, the smell of her fragrance lingered in his sheets. At one point during the night, he'd woken up to find her back pressed against him, his arm around her, and her hand in his. It was then he finally understood what was missing and what went wrong between him and Peyton.

Before, whenever he'd have sex with Peyton, he'd always duck out after a bit of time despite her wanting more from him. He remembered, vividly, the amount of arguments the two would engage in about this. She wanted him to stay, he wanted to go, and neither of them understood why the other was blowing the matter out of proportion. But, even though he didn't have sex with Haley, he'd still been the most intimate with her than he'd ever been with someone. He felt vulnerable with her—he'd danced with her, held her, and talked with her until he saw her eyes flutter shut. After being with her in this way, he couldn't imagine leaving her.

Sighing, Nathan sat up and ruffled his hair. Looking around the room, he noticed a piece of paper that stood up on his dresser. Rolling out of bed, he noticed the shirt she'd worn to TRIC on the floor. Smiling to himself, he picked up the piece of paper labeled 'Nathan'.

 _Didn't want to wake you- had to go to work! Thanks again for last night.  
ps. I'm keeping the hoodie. Remember that you offered!_

 _-H_

Nathan set the piece of paper back down and made his way to the kitchen for something to eat. By this time, it was late into the afternoon and he pulled the macaroni and cheese out that Haley had made and heated it up. He couldn't help but think back to her dancing around the kitchen while making it; his eyes had been glued to the way her hips moved. As he began to eat his meal he knew that he needed some court time to get his mind off her. It was almost ridiculous that she kept pulling his attention and she wasn't even with him. He knew if he got himself moving and practicing that he could keep his mind clear, and he needed to do that, but did he really want to? As he debated back and forth between the idea, he decided that he'd opt for both. Pulling out his phone, Nathan found her name in his contacts and sent her a message.

 _N: Leaving your clothes at my place now? I didn't realize we were at this step._

 _H: Think of it as something to remember me by. I have something of yours and you have something of mine_

 _N: I'd say you're pretty unforgettable, but I'll go with your logic. I believe you have two things of mine. Does that mean I've got a surprise waiting for me somewhere?_

 _H: Nice try, but no :P_

 _N: Can't blame me for trying. All joking aside though, are you free after your shift? I think you mentioned something about singing for me…_

 _H: So you weren't too drunk to forget that…shoot. Swing by after closing—and come hungry!_

* * *

Haley began to sweep the floors of the café after she'd stacked the chairs on each of the tables. She loved when she had the café all to herself. There was something peaceful and safe about it when she was left with the space. She felt free to sing, or play music, or maybe even a little bit of both. It was nice to have that kind of quiet when she felt like she didn't have it anywhere else.

As Haley moved around the café collecting any dirt or leftover food on the floor, she began humming to herself. She wanted to make sure there was little to no work left for her to do after Nathan came. Just at the thought of him, she felt like her stomach was filled with butterflies. Haley disappeared into the back for a moment as she emptied out the dustpan, only to hear a knock at the door. Setting the pan aside, Haley quickly removed the apron from around her waist and took a quick look in the mirror before making her way back out into the front.

As she approached the door, Haley froze, seeing an unexpected face. After gathering herself quickly, Haley unlocked the door, ushering him in. "Hey, Jake," she greeted with a forced smile. "What are you doing here?" she asked. She knew that the two of them had things to discuss but she wasn't expecting to talk to him today too.

"Just wanted to see you. I can go if that's not okay…," he offered, motioning towards the door, with a concerned expression.

"No, it's okay," she said, waving her hand as if it were a way to brush off his uneasiness. "I'm just surprised, that's all. I wanted to see you anyway too," she stated, even though she could sense they had different reasons. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something," she began, clasping her hands together.

"If it's about this," he interjected, picking up his guitar case next to him, "then, yes, I still plan on giving you those lessons. I figured we could start now," he offered, "I'm sorry I left early last night. It was family stuff and I know that sounds vague, but I'll make it clearer soon, okay? I wnt to make it up to you."

Haley felt her words get caught in her throat again just as they'd done with Luke earlier today; all she could muster up was a simple nod.

"Are you sure you're okay about last night?" he asked, "You're not saying much."

Haley bit her lip, looking away from him. She'd never been put in a situation like this before and she didn't know how to address it. At the beginning of the school year she wasn't on anyone's radar and now she felt overwhelmed by the attention. "It's just been a long day and I'm tired," she replied lamely, shaking off her thoughts. "I had something I wanted to talk to you about but the thoughts aren't quite coming together," she said, chuckling. "Can we start our lesson first and then talk?"

Jake bit his lip trying to read the situation. He didn't want to pry but he also hoped she wasn't upset with him. Nodding at her offer, Jake pulled a few of the stacked chairs down and unzipped the guitar case.

While Jake was preparing the area for them, Haley frowned and pulled out her phone. She didn't want to lie to Nathan, but she didn't know where he was at when it came to him and her and she was afraid to hurt Jake. Sighing, Haley typed out a message, and glanced over at the fridge. She'd asked the cook to leave food for her and Nathan so she could eat dinner with him—now that plan was shot.

H: _Hey, I'm really sorry about this, but something came up. I can't meet you tonight but can I bring you an apology coffee before class?_

Haley made her way over to Jake and sat beside him. She'd only known a bit of guitar through self-teaching but she definitely could use some better skills. The part that tripped her up the most was that she didn't practice enough. She needed to strengthen her fingers and do chord exercises to help her move through the motions easier. Jake was patient still. He wasn't the type of instructor that pointed out what she was doing wrong, rather, encouraged her to keep trying and even when that wasn't enough, he helped with the placement of her fingers on the neck of the guitar.

The two laughed as she fumbled here and there began to jokingly create a silly song. The two were both out of tune trying to come up with words on the spot and it felt as if she were apart of some improv skit. As she stalled with a random ad-lib, the bells of the café door chimed signaling another person entered the room. Looking up, Haley locked eyes with a familiar, piercing blue. "Nathan," she quietly said, surprised. "Hey, did you get my text?"

Nathan looked from Haley, to a confused Jake, and back to her again. Pulling out his phone, he quickly read the message that she'd sent him almost a half hour ago. "Didn't look at my phone," he answered shortly, "But nice, Hales."

"Could you maybe come back later?" she asked, "Or I could come see you? Jake just stopped by and surprised me, we were going to talk after this," she explained, hoping he understood what she meant.

"Are you serious right now? You want me to leave?" Nathan asked approaching the two.

Jake stood up, as if he were a barrier between Nathan and Haley. "I don't know what your deal is, but I think you need to go. I like you man," Jake stated, "and I don't want any trouble, but you seem like you need to blow off steam before you say or do anything else, eh?"

Nathan clenched his jaw together as he looked between Jake and Haley. There were a lot of emotions running through him; he felt embarrassed because he thought there wasn't anything going on between Haley and Jake after last night with her, he felt angry because he liked Jake and they were friends, and he felt jealous because he wanted to be the one she was laughing with and spending her time with. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, Nathan looked at Haley one more time and shook his head, turning away from the two of them and heading out the door.

"Jake," Haley choked out quietly, feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, "thanks for-," she started, before she was interrupted.

"So when were you going to tell me you two were basically together?"

* * *

 **Note:**

 **W O W. Okay, so, sorry if that felt like it was a long read (this was my longest chapter yet). I really want to grow Brooke and Haley's friendship, have Haley confide in Luke about her feelings, and have Haley confront her feelings to not only her friends, but to herself and Jake too. Would anyone be interested if I incorporated other characters more and gave them storylines or do you prefer full Naley? Let me know!**

 **As always, I love the feedback I get from you all and I feel like this chapter the most needs some feedback. Tell me your thoughts! Hope to write more soon :)**


	8. Chapter 8

"So when were you going to tell me you two were basically together?" Jake asked, as the bells of the café door chimed behind him.

Haley looked past him, focusing on the door that Nathan had walked out of. She'd held her breath as Jake looked to her for an answer. She screwed up; she knew she did. Haley knew that as soon as Jake had come to the café she should have explained herself, instead of carry on as if nothing was wrong and as if her heart wasn't with someone else. Not only that, but she knew that she should have been upfront with Nathan. By not wanting to hurt one of them, she ended up hurting both instead. Even after Nathan walked out, she still had the image of his expression ingrained in her mind.

She knew she needed to avert her attention to the guy in front of her, even if she wanted to run after Nathan. It wasn't fair to Jake. It was one of the first things Jake and her had mentioned to each other—they weren't used to dating. He didn't go out much…didn't date much… and there she was shooting him down as he was getting his hopes up. Haley tore her eyes away from the door and settled on Jake, his brown eyes burning into hers as he continued to search for an answer.

"Jake, I-," Haley began, falling short. After a short pause, Haley took a deep breath. "It just happened…I am so sorry—and I know that's not enough. But this," she explained, gesturing to the two of them, "is what I wanted to talk to you about."

Jake stayed quiet, processing what Haley was telling him. Biting his lip, he turned away, ruffling his hair, "Dammit, Haley," he cursed quietly.

"I don't know what I'm doing," she explained, frustrated, "I'm not like this. I always know the answer to everything but this. I should have said something as soon as I knew or as soon as you walked in the door," she paused, shaking her head, "I really am sorry, Jake."

Jake slumped into the chair behind him, "So, what, were you trying to make him jealous by using me?" he asked. "It would have been nice to be filled in on that," he joked, trying to make light of the situation, despite how crummy he felt.

"It wasn't like that at all- I mean it," she assured him. "Things just shifted with me and Nathan-,"

"In a day?" he asked incredulously.

"Is that so hard to believe?" she wondered out loud, "Maybe it's been there all along and I didn't see it but the point is, I do see it now, and I'm being upfront about it."

"Because you were so upfront about it earlier," he muttered, standing up from his seat and walking across the room to get his guitar to pack up.

Haley crossed her arms, feeling defensive, and bit her tongue. She watched him as he closed his case and shrugged on his jacket without saying a word or even bothering to glance at her. If there was one thing Haley was good at, was getting the last word in; she was not the type to stay silent about her emotions. "So is that it?" she asked him, "I turn you down and suddenly you don't want to know—to talk to me anymore?"

"Haley-," he said, looking down at his case.

"No, that isn't fair," she argued, "I know what I did was wrong, and I apologized for it, but I never promised you anything."

"Well-,"

"And if you're going to get specific about it then maybe, sure, I promised I'd play music with you," she pointed out, "but that was the only promise I made."

"I know," Jake began, trying to answer her.

"Then why can you hardly look at me?"

"Because I like you, Haley," he softly said, looking up at her. "I don't put myself out there a lot, and that's a story for another day, but I did these past few days with you. I got hopeful," he shrugged, "and yea, I'd like to know you more and be your friend—I can see why Luke raves about you. But I need space first," he reasoned, "You can't expect me to just act like nothing happened."

Haley nodded quietly, gripping the back of her neck. "I understand. Take your time."

Jake nodded, with his case in hand, and headed for the door. As he stood in the middle of the door frame, Jake popped his head in the café one more time, "I know this doesn't help at all, but you're cute when you get all worked up," seeing as Haley shifted awkwardly in place, Jake tapped the door frame and turned away, "I'll see you around."

"See you around."

* * *

Haley rested her head in her hands as she sat at one of the outside picnic tables during lunch. She'd felt tired. After Jake had left, she spent a portion of her night trying to reach out to Nathan with no success. He was avoiding her and she understood why, but she needed to make things right between them—she had to make things clear and make him understand what happened. She'd tried talking to him at his locker this morning, just before homeroom, but he was nowhere to be found. Even when she thought she'd get the opportunity to in their shared class, he'd arrived right at the bell and left before she even had the chance to grab all her books.

"You look like you've had better days."

Haley lifted her head to see Lucas approaching her table with a tray of food in one hand and a book in the other.

"You're just so charming to me sometimes," she laughed, "Really, it's overwhelming."

Lucas eyed her carefully and took a bite of his apple. Even though it wasn't the nicest thing to point out, she truly did not look like herself. She had bags under her eyes and was sporting a frown instead of her infectious smile. "What's bothering you, Hales?" he asked genuinely, caring about her well-being.

"Trust me, you don't want to know," she mumbled.

"Try me."

Haley bit her lip, thinking for a moment. "I think I messed things up with Nathan."

Lucas sighed, processing what she'd told him. He'd made it known that he didn't like him before and after she'd confessed she had feelings for Nathan and his stance still hadn't changed. But, as her best friend, he knew he couldn't run away from conversations that surrounded him. "What makes you say that?"

Haley mindlessly played with the food in front of her as she began to share her thoughts with Lucas. She knew he was trying but she was still afraid to look him in the eye and see his expression. Did he look disappointed? Mad? Even an 'I-told-you-so'? "Nathan was going to come see me after I got off my shift and then Jake came as a surprise. I told Nathan I couldn't see him that night and left it as that. I wanted to talk things out with Jake but I got scared… Nathan showed up to the café and walked in on Jake and I hanging out… everything blew up in my face… Nathan won't talk to me," she summed up, her words trailing off.

"Sounds salvageable to me," Lucas commented, nudging Haley's hand. His gesture caused Haley too look up at him.

"You think so?" she asked, biting her lip. "You should've seen the way he looked at me, Luke," she reflected upset.

"You made a mistake," he offered quietly, sliding to her side of the bench, "we all do. It's what makes us human."

Haley felt his arm wrap around her shoulders and she easily rested her side against him. "What if he isn't interested anymore? Or if he thinks I'm too much of a hassle?" she asked softly, admitting her insecurities.

"Well, the guy is an idiot," he joked, "He's been threatened before to be cut from the team because of his grades."

Haley swatted Luke's chest, "I'm serious."

"So am I," he said, "Hales, you're perfect. You're smart, funny, and the kindest person I know. He'd be out of his mind to walk away."

"Hey, Luke?"

"Yea, Hales?"

"Thank you," she gratefully expressed, reaching her hand up to give a squeeze to his hand that was resting off her shoulder.

"For what?" he asked, looking down at her, "I'm just pointing out the obvious."

"I know how you feel about him though," she commented softly, "So thanks for listening."

Lucas pulled her closer to him, giving her a hug. "Hales, I'd do anything for you. Besides, you see something in him, so that must mean there's something redeeming about him."

Haley nodded, "I think you two might end up being good friends someday."

"I'll believe that one when I see it."

Haley knowingly laughed. She sensed it weeks ago and she still did to this day despite what was happening between her and Nathan. Feeling more at ease, Haley reached for her tray and took a bite of her wrap. "How about you?" she asked after chewing her food, "Are you happy?"

Lucas reached over the table and slid his tray towards him so he still sat adjacent to Haley. "Honestly?" he asked. "I've never been happier."

"You deserve it, Luke. Good for you."

"Took me long enough, but I feel like I finally have everything figured out and I'm where I wanna be."

"Want to share your words of wisdom with me?" she asked playfully.

"Just keep putting good out into the world," he advised, "It'll make its way back to you."

* * *

Although it wasn't his most ideal plan, Nathan Scott didn't do feelings. There was a reason for it, and it became evidently clear to him why last night. He didn't sleep. He kept replaying the weekend over in his head: the moment he saw Haley at TRIC, the way he reacted when he saw her with Jake on their date, the beach house, and then the café. _But god, the beach house_.

He'd seen a side of her that she mostly kept hidden and he felt chosen in a way. He felt like he really mattered to her, like he was good enough to see all the parts of her that make her who she is. If he closed his eyes he could still the way she looked at him and the way her wild hair blew in the breeze. He could picture her wrapped up in his sweatshirt and dancing along to the sounds of the crashing waves and their breaths of mixed nervousness and excitement. While it was all so new to him, it felt right. It was like something woke up inside of him that night that he never knew existed—it was a part of him that craved for a relationship with substance. He wanted to care about someone and have those feelings reciprocated. He wanted to understand what everyone was talking about when it came to being there for someone, supporting them, and loving them. But again, Nathan Scott didn't do feelings; feelings were a distraction that was preventing him from his day-to-day. Because just as soon as he felt himself open up, he quickly shut down those hopes, and he hasn't been able to think about anything else.

Haley headed back from lunch and walked through the crowded hallway. Students hurriedly passed by on their way to their next classes, but she knew before she could head to class she had to make a detour. Her eyes set out for one distinct person: Nathan. When her vision fell upon him, her stomach felt as if it were in knots.

"Today we are filming something out of the ordinary," Haley announced, as she held the video camera in her hand, standing beside his locker, "I like to call this segment 'Haley begs for Nathan's forgiveness'." Biting her lip, she leaned against a locker as Nathan continued to search through his without acknowledging her. "How about 'Nathan ignores Haley', think that title will stick better?" she asked, closing the camera and setting it down in her bag.

Nathan froze as he heard her voice. As much as he knew it was an asshole move, he'd been ignoring her messages and avoiding her to the best of his ability. He knew that as soon as he saw her, he'd be hit with all the feelings he'd been trying to repress. "Funny, Hales," he commented, shutting his locker. "Looking for Jagielski's locker? You might want to try down the hall."

Haley scoffed, taken back by his remark, "It's not like that, Nathan, and you'd know that if you'd just let me explain."

"What's there to explain? I think you made it pretty obvious last night," he retorted, walking away from her.

"Nathan, wait!" Haley exclaimed.

Before he could get far, Haley reached out for his hand, pulling him back towards her direction. Just at the slightest touch, a shiver ran through them both. His blue eyes, typically piercing, seemed darker and duller today. His gaze focused on their joined hands and he slowly outstretched his fingers, loosely interlocking his with hers.

"I can't do this right now, Haley," he stated, quickly pulling his hand from hers.

"Oh," she said lowly, "What about later?"

"Just because you want to clear your conscience doesn't mean I have the time for it," he answered harshly.

In an instant Haley felt as if she'd gotten the wind knocked out of her. She could feel tears welling in her eyes but she bit the inside of her cheek to keep any tears from spilling; she was not going to cry in front of him. Haley watched as he walked away from her, placing his earbuds in to tune her out. She wasn't going to give up on him just yet, but she also didn't know how much she was willing to take.

* * *

It was a rush. Nathan had never known a thrill greater than what it was like to play the sport he loves—it was a passion that drove him competitively and even instinctively. Every motion he made felt fluid. It felt easy running the plays, going through the motions, dribbling, passing, and making the shots, but it only felt easy because he worked so damn hard. He spent hours every day, outside of practice, working on his skills and staying in the utmost shape to be the best and it showed. By being the best, it meant he needed to win—not only during the season, but during practice too. Today, however, Nathan had a different factor pushing him: Haley.

"Ball!" Nathan commanded, with his hands wide open, ready to catch the pass. Upon catching the pass, Nathan dribbled the ball bringing it up to court. His eyes searched the sea of players; they were playing a scrimmage today and divided the team up into two. He was sporting a blue jersey with the opposing team wearing white. Surveying the floor, Nathan looked for any blue jersey players to pass the ball to which would allow him to make himself available again to score a point.

"I'm open," exclaimed Jake, ducking around a white jersey player with his hands wide open. Just as soon as Nathan turned to see him, he turned away looking for a better option. In the distance, he could hear Whitey calling out to him to pass the ball and that Jagielski was open, but that was not an option he was going to turn to. Nathan moved forward, quickly pivoting around an opposing player, and closing in towards where he wanted to be. In one swift motion, Nathan made a lay-up, bouncing the ball off the backboard so it'd spring back into the basket. As anticipated, the ball swished through the net, scoring the blue jerseys a point.

As the opposing team's point guard grabbed the ball to bring it up, Jake jogged alongside Nathan to the other end of the court to play defense.

"What was that, man? I was open," Jake stated, looking over at Nathan confused.

"Didn't look that way to me," Nathan answered shortly.

Jake eyed him cautiously without bothering to say another word. He knew what Nathan was saying was crap and didn't know how to tread the situation. Shaking his head, Jake moved on, passing Nathan to get into his position.

As the two approached their designated areas, the two focused solely on their opposing player that shared the space with them. To play defense, it was almost like a dance. You needed to know the offensive player's moves and what they could potentially do next to allow you to block all possible attempts at passing the ball or making a shot. As the opposing team's point guard brought the ball up, the blue jerseys actively guarded against all the white jerseys. Jake followed the player he was supposed to stay on, who was trying to make himself open for a pass, and by doing that he'd accidentally bumped into Nathan in the process. Meanwhile, Nathan was guarding an opposing player with the ball; this caused him to become imbalanced and weak towards the offensive player. Noting Nathan's moment of vulnerability, the player in the white jersey took this to his advantage and pivoted out of the corner he was placed in and scored.

"Jagielski, do you wanna maybe try something new and suck a little less? Because this isn't working for me," Nathan huffed, shaking his head.

"Maybe I'd be playing better if our point guard realized there's other members on the team," Jake muttered, lifting his jersey up to wipe the sweat off his forehead.

"Yea, I can see that we have other members on our team," Nathan replied as he approached Jake, "and I can see who is dragging us down," he added.

"Nathan, relax," Lucas interjected, trying to ease the tension between the two. Lucas eyed the two, standing close by. Despite Nathan laying off Lucas lately, he still wasn't going to stay quiet when Nathan was acting out of line—especially towards the only guy who welcomed him on the team in the first place.

"It was one mistake. I was trying to block Kane and didn't have enough space," Jake explained, "What the hell is your problem?"

Nathan clenched his jaw trying to control the anger he felt towards Jake. With a deep inhale and exhale, he grabbed the ball from Jake and balanced it against his side with his one arm; his other arm rested against his side, yet his hand was curled into a fist. Nathan slowly took a few steps away, ready to run the next play until he heard Jake's voice again.

"Is this about Haley?"

Just when Nathan thought he could walk away, he instantly turned and connected his fist to Jake's jaw. The punch took him by a surprise, causing him to stumble. Just as quick Nathan's reaction was, as was Jake's. Knowing the slight height difference between the two would affect his punches, Jake launched himself towards Nathan, knocking him off his feet. Jake had managed to get a punch to Nathan's eye before Lucas pulled him off him. In the distance, they could hear Whitey's whistle blowing and being hollered at, but the two still tried to break free of the grasp of their teammates and shove each other.

"What in the hell is going on with you two? Did your brains mix up blue and white? You're on the same team," Whitey yelled, as he made his way in between the two.

Nathan stood tall, ignoring the sharp pain he was experiencing. While he didn't want to show any signs of weakness, he could already feel the heaviness of his eyelid and the skin around his eye beginning to swell. "Both of you," Whitey shouted, turning from one to the other, "skip the showers and head home. You're done for today. Get the hell outta my sight."

Nathan took one last look at Jake, his chest still rapidly rising and falling, and stormed off the court.

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

 **Is anyone else snowed in like me? I've been making the most of this nor'easter by drinking a lot of hot chocolate and writing! I apologize for the delay. I sort of felt myself avoiding writing this for a few days because I knew I had to write about Nathan and Haley on not so good terms but I knew it was important to do. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also, I really appreciate all of your feedback. It encourages me more than you'll ever know! After going through the responses to my last question, I agree. I think my main focus, as planned, will be on Naley and their development of friendships + VERY minor pairings sprinkled in (Brucas/maybe Jeyton?!)**  
 **  
I'll be going away for travel (if my flight isn't cancelled) so expect an update by the end of next week or so?  
Also, as always, please let me know what you think! **


	9. Chapter 9

Haley sat against a pillar outside of the gym, waiting for basketball practice to let out. This marked yet another time she would try to talk to Nathan, and at this point, she was feeling a bit desperate. It was an unfamiliar territory for her. She felt torn between the feelings she was developing for him versus how he was treating her. Was it worth all this trouble for a boy who could no longer stand to be near her? Her mind trailed off, thinking about the way their fingers entwined. Even if it was just for a moment in the hallway, just the slightest touch from him pulled on her heart.

Haley had created a little spot for herself with a book resting comfortably in her hands. Lucas and her had recently gotten in the habit of trading off books through the café. There was a cabinet behind the bar that had remained empty until Lucas turned it into a tiny bookstore for two. They would pick up a book one had left for the other, leave notes behind, and replace it with another they thought the other might like. As uncertain as everything around her felt, the one constant thing she knew she had in her life was her friendship with Lucas. She hoped that if one Scott could forgive her and accept her, maybe the other Scott could too.

Haley's eyes lifted from the pages in front of her and settled on the sky. There was a stillness in the air that swept across the town and school, as if everyone was waiting for the first crack of thunder. Dark hues of gray and blue sprawled across the sky with clouds that seemed like they could swallow her whole. She'd never been a fan of storms but she had a softness for rain and as she closed her eyes, she could detect the faintest smell of it.

As Nathan approached the double doors to exit the gym to the courtyard, his stride fell short. Between the two large, rectangular windows he spotted Haley sitting peacefully by herself. Suddenly it seemed as if all his anger from the court and all the impatience he harbored earlier towards her completely disappeared; the sight of her calmed him. Her hair looked wild as the wind blew it in every direction, mirroring the way it looked on the beach nights ago. Despite all the chaos the storm seemed to brewing, she remained patient and kept still. It was as if he was some raging storm and she would persist through the ugly until the sky returned to its bright hues. _She's not going anywhere._

A small smile fell on his lips as he pushed past the double doors, "Haley James, are you waiting for me?"

Haley's head turned to his familiar voice, eyes searching for him. As soon as she'd settled on what she'd thought would be his bright blue eyes, she'd focused on the swelling that protruded from his face. "Are you okay?!" she exclaimed, scrambling to her feet. "What happened to you?"

Nathan bit his tongue unsure of what to say. He could tell her the truth: _Oh hey, Hales. I sort of tried to knock out the guy that was into you._ But he was beginning to regret the decision he made from impulse. "Uh, Jake," he admitted quietly, looking down.

"You got into a fight with Jake?!" She exclaimed. "Why on earth would you throw a punch at Jake?"

"The guy was playing like shit," he answered simply.

"Oh really?"

Nathan sighed. "It just came over me," he said, feeling guilty. "Look, I don't feel good about it. In a way, he had it coming to him-"

Haley tilted her head, raising her eyebrows.

Nathan lifted his fingers up to touch the dull ache near his eye. His eyelid felt fat and heavy and the skin was sore to touch at the softest brush. "I'll work it out with him later. Clear it up."

Haley nodded unsure of what else to say. She was a bit alarmed by his act of aggression but she knew he had a hot temper he needed to work through. Plus, they had their own stuff they needed to work out.

"Ok, Hulk, can I at least help you with some ice?" she teased, walking away from him to grab her books. Leaning over she picked up her items and bent back up. Turning to him, she noticed his eyes glued to her hips. "I'll take your silence and that smirk on your lips as a yes."

* * *

"You know, if you let him wail on you a little more, we could've filmed an ER trip," Haley joked, lightly pressing the ice wrapped in cloth against his face.

"For what? I don't need a nurse; I've already got a hot girl taking care of me."

Haley blushed, rolling her eyes. "I thought you got hit in the eye—not your head."

"Getting hit didn't blind me," he informed her, in a playful tone.

"Don't even joke. You're our best player—we can't have you getting hurt and dropping from the season."

"You think a little black eye is going to hold me back from playing?" he asked. "I've never missed one of my games but I can't say the same about you."

"I go for Luke every now and then!" she retorted, playfully hitting his arm with the cloth she was using on his face.

"And what about me?" he asked sweetly.

Haley's breath hitched, noting the small space between them. "Um," she stuttered nervously. His eyes were still closed and all she could focus on was how vulnerable he seemed in that moment. Her eyes fell on his lips and she couldn't shake the urge of wanting to kiss him.

"Say what's on your mind, Hales," Nathan offered quietly.

"Who's to say I have anything on my mind?"

"I can tell."

Haley chuckled, "You didn't even open your eyes."

"You think I need to see you with my eyes to know what's going on with you? We haven't been hanging out for a long time, sure, but I've told you more than I ever told Tim or Peyton—I consider that close," he confessed, taking the cloth from her hand and setting it to the side. "So, tell me," he repeated, "what are you thinking?"

Haley softly bit the side of her cheek as she considered her words. What should she tell him? The last time they'd spoken he'd told her he was done. He was done being friends, or in their state of limbo, and that he didn't want to hear what she was feeling because it would just ease her conscience not his. Currently, however, things felt light between them. Like they almost could salvage a friendship from the destruction she'd created.

"Um," she sighed, "Us. Are we okay?" she asked. "The last time I saw you, you'd hardly look at me and I just want to know what's on your mind," she wondered, hoisting herself up to sit beside him. "Like are we on speaking terms? Or am I going to walk out of this room and go back to that girl who keeps her head down or in a book and is a part of Luke's group?"

Nathan kept quiet for a few moments. Thoughts were running wild through his mind as he took everything into consideration; he wanted everything from her and nothing all at once. He wanted more from her but he didn't know how to be more for someone. He didn't have the time to be distracted or vulnerable and he couldn't forgive her just quite yet.

"Hales…," he drifted off, "You are so much more than that. You know that, right?"

"Yea, I'm the hot caretaker," she joked, poking at his comment earlier.

Nathan laughed, shaking his head. "I'm trying to have a moment with you!"

"Okay, okay," she nodded, running a hand through her hair, "My lips are sealed."

"You're funny and you're smart," he noted, "and you pay attention and actually care about people. You're a good person, Haley James. Much more than just some girl or some friend of so and so."

Haley leaned her head against his shoulder, "You're embarrassing me," she blushed, hiding her face from his view.

"The things I said earlier… I was upset and I wasn't thinking," he explained, "I don't want to stop talking to you—that's the last thing I'd wanna do."

"Okay… so friends?" Haley asked cautiously.

Nathan snaked his arm around her small waist and pulled her close to him, "Is best friends asking too much?" he teased, "I really need a Haley James in my cheer section."

"I'll have Luke grab an arm and you can grab the other and the two of you can just split me in half."

"I need a good luck charm," Nathan insisted.

"Are you sure that's me though? You have a black eye, remember?"

"And if you were in the gym I probably wouldn't have gone after him sooooo," he joked, tickling her sides.

"Oh so it's my fault now?" Haley jumped in her seat and actively shoved his hands away as she laughed to herself, even causing an ache in her stomach.

From a glimpse from afar the two looked like a couple. Arms wrapped around each other, smiles wide, laughing, and eyes lit up. It was enough.

For now.

* * *

 **HEY! It's been quite a while. I don't know if anyone is still reading but... I wanted to give their conflict from the previous chapter a little bit more of conclusion- I also wanted to give the next chapter a short time jump so I didn't really want to introduce anything else/new! Let me know what you think!**


	10. Chapter 10

***One Month Later***

"Have you finished that Steinbeck book I gave you yet?" Lucas asked, leaning over the counter. In one swift motion, he'd managed to grab the last sticky bun off the pastry tray and take a bite before Haley had even managed to turn around.

"Working on it," she mentioned, glancing up at him, "You know, those pastries are for paying customers."

"What do you mean working on it?" Lucas asked, "I'm bored to tears over here. I need your notes… I need a new book recommendation," he listed off, taking another bite of his snack. "By the way, as the son of the owner, I'd like to remind you, this is a damn good sticky bun."

Haley rolled her eyes. "Let me remind you," she emphasized playing off his words, "that you passed off a 600-some book, my multimedia project is due in a few weeks, tutoring, and I've been taking on more hours at the café."

"I'm sensing a little bit of hostility with a side of you'll give me something by the end of the week?"

Haley lifted her cup of coffee to her lips and took a sip, holding eye contact with him.

"I'm going to stop talking now, aren't I?"

Haley nodded slowly, setting the cup back down on the table. Turning away from him she swiftly filled other patron's cups seeing as they were running low. With the more hours, she'd been picking up at the café, she'd been spending a lot more time getting to know the regulars. There was an old man named Neil who would come in at 3:45pm on the dot and read the newspaper. Haley had quickly picked up his distaste towards a few of the papers they'd carried and she'd specifically began to order the one he'd ask for. She'd set it down at his specific spot with a cup of hot coffee waiting for him. He'd fill her in on the news, his day-to-day life, and stories of his past. He continued to wear his wedding band after his wife had passed and he often would tell her stories of his great love.

Haley often teased that he was her wingman. Any time a young man walked through the door he'd go, "that looks like a nice gentleman" and she knew he was eavesdropping on her conversation with Luke.

"How's Brooke, by the way?" she asked in Luke's direction, turning to flash a quick look at the old man.

"Brooke is Brooke," he explained lamely.

"That doesn't sound too promising," she commented, grabbing the empty pastry dish and setting out the last batch of the day.

"No, things are good," he reassured her, "But she's sort of on my case about going to winter formal."

"Winter formal?" she asked, raising her brow, "And did you explain to her that every formal we skip and have our own anti-formal?"

Luke pointed to her and grimaced, "Word for word and then she asked 'Could you be more brooding'? My fate is sealed—I have to go," he sighed.

Haley pouted, "But we don't do dances. We've never done dances. I can handle a movie marathon alone, for sure, but when you add in multiple pizzas from all the pizza places in town that's just when it gets sad."

"Almost as sad as how we keep giving Capozzi's pizza a shot, thinking it'll get better, but it never does."

"Exactly. I can't go on this journey alone! Come on, Luke."

"Or you could come with me and Brooke?" he offered.

"Tempting," she stated, "But, you know, I think I might be busy that day."

"Oh yea?"

"Yea, busy not breaking pacts made by best friends," she informed him, "Also, third-wheeling at a dance is just sad."

"I'm sure we could find you a date. Or Brooke could," he shrugged.

"Because that worked out so well last time."

"You've got to admit, you and Jake were a decent fit. You just have poor taste," he joked, hinting at her feelings for Nathan. While it'd been a month since Nathan and Haley had patched things up, she couldn't say the same for Jake. She'd seen him in class, in the halls, and occasionally with Luke but things were still so-so. He'd make small talk and was nice but things would fade and either he or she would excuse themselves from the encounter.

"I'm going to choose to ignore that," Haley warned, crossing her arms.

"I hate to suggest it," Luke sighed, "but what about Nathan?"

"Nathan's a nice gentleman," Neil piped up, nodding in approval.

Luke turned to the old man confused and then looked towards Haley.

Haley laughed, shaking her head at Neil. "You're not the only Scott who drops by to see me often," she informed Luke, "And Neil here is around more than the both of you. Maybe Neil would like to come dance with me?"

"If I could dance with a pretty lady like you I would, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to sit this one out," he laughed quietly to himself, shakily picking up his drink.

"Besides," Haley said, turning back to Luke, "Nathan wouldn't ask me to go to winter formal with him anyways."

* * *

"I figured I'd go with Hales," Nathan shared, as he performed a lay-up. He was just reaching the end of his workout when Brooke had stopped by his home.

"Well you're making my job a lot easier," Brooke cheerily smiled. Digging her hands in her pockets she looked on as Nathan dribbled the ball and took another shot. "Now, does she know you're planning on going with her?"

Nathan turned to her, wiping the sweat from his face with his shirt, "Who put you up to this?" He'd become all too familiar with her meddling after dating Peyton. Whenever the two were in an argument Brooke would come around trying to set him straight, or tell him where she was, or how to make things up to her. While he eventually would act on Brooke's suggestions, he still felt hesitation any time she started acting too chummy.

"Me," she shrugged simply. "I want to go to formal with my bf and he won't go without Haley," she shared with dissatisfaction. "They have this weird anti-formal pact thing-,"

"Killjoys," Nathan cut in.

"That's what I'm trying to say!" Brooke exclaimed.

"I'm kidding. Formals are stupid anyways," Nathan stated, taking another shot, "But, as captain of the basketball team, it's sort of my responsibility show up at these things."

"Okay, well, whatever reason you're there, you still go. Which means please for the love of god take Haley."

"I said I would!" he assured her, resting the basketball at his side.

"Okay, but Haley's not like Peyton," she said, "You may have just been able to say 'We're going' and it was a done deal, but that's not going to cut it with Haley!"

Nathan feigned offense," Brooke, who do you think I am? I wouldn't do that to her."

"Okay, hot shot, what's your plan?"

"I'd say "We're going or Brooke is gonna beat us up. Done deal," Nathan kept a blank stare for a few seconds before the sides of his mouth curled and a laugh escaped him. "Brooke, I don't know what I'm going to say, but I'll figure it out."

Brooke crossed her arms, standing firm in not only her words but her stature.

"Well, enjoy this," he motioned, referencing to their surrounds, "I'm gonna get a shower before Haley comes over."

"Ooooh a date?" Brooke asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Hanging out. We're just friends, Brooke."

"Everyone likes to joke that I'm the clueless one but I think that's you if you really believe you're both just friends!" She called out, watching Nathan disappear inside.

* * *

"You wouldn't believe the day I had," Haley announced as she brushed past Nathan in the doorway.

Amused, Nathan shut the door behind him and followed her down the hall into the kitchen. He watched as she quickly set out food for the two of them, placing a container of leftovers into the microwave. Her moves were frantic, dancing across the room, as he leaned forward on his elbows, calm, waiting for her to continue.

"So Paul quit," she sighed, "which would be great if I could be at the café at all hours of the day but, you know, I'm not," she complained, swinging the door of the microwave open to check on the temperature of the dish. "And I know what you're thinking, you're thinking 'Hales, this doesn't fall on you, don't give yourself another thing to worry about', and that's where you're wrong, Nathan," she stated as a matter-of-factly, pointing at him.

Nathan bit his tongue, trying to keep himself from chuckling. He couldn't help but notice the way her forehead would wrinkle as she raised her eyebrows, exhaling her frustrations out; it was cute but he knew if he ever said such a thing to her she'd slap him upside the head. "So where's Karen in all this?" he asked, keeping his questions short and few.

Nathan had learned a lot about the way Haley operated in terms of being frustrated. She was the type of girl who liked to air out what was bothering her, but would never ask for help. She was from a large family and he knew she often felt as if her voice wasn't heard. So, he'd sit. He'd sit down and give her his full undivided attention and watch as she talked herself in circles until she fell quiet and calm. She just needed someone to listen… and Nathan? He'd listen to her talk for hours. He found that the two operated differently in that sense. More recently Nathan had become more open with her about his parents and his relationship with his father but he still didn't say too much. Instead, he'd find calmness in listening to her weigh-in on his situation. Her voice was warm and comforting and as soft-spoken as it could be, he knew he'd be able to pick it out in a roomful of people.

"I feel like I haven't seen her since TRIC opened," Haley replied, "I'm so happy and proud of her but I feel like I can't say no and I'm biting off more than I can chew. I've already taken on a ton of hours but we need extra help," she stated simply, setting the other dish in the microwave. "But people are always looking to pick up something part-time, right?"

Nathan nodded, walking behind her. Wrapping his arms around her, he felt her hands squeeze his forearms lightly and lean into him. Resting his chin above her head he held her for a few moments, maybe even a bit longer than intended, but the two stood comfortably. And that's how it'd been lately. Comfortable. Easy.

"What do you say about some roof-top dining?" he asked, "and before you shoot me down, I've already laid out a blanket and you can steal another one of my sweatshirts," he playfully suggested, tugging lightly on his sweatshirt she was wearing already that she'd stolen from him that night they'd slept at the beach house.

"Finders keepers, okay?" she said in a playful, defensive tone.

Haley followed Nathan upstairs, passing by empty bedrooms, until what she presumed was his bedroom. Despite all the time they'd spent together lately, she'd still yet to see it. The walls were gray, adorned with various posters and old jerseys, and in the corner, a desk. Above the desk was a 'Tree Hill Ravens' pennant, his practice schedule, and to her surprise, a picture of the two from a photobooth at one of TRIC's live-music nights.

"I made it on your wall?" she asked sweetly, briefly touching the picture strip before looking up at him.

"Don't act so surprised. Only the most important stuff goes up on my wall," he informed her, tugging on her hand lightly towards the windows.

Lifting the window up, Nathan swung his one leg over the window sill and stepped out onto the short, flat roof that hung above the front doors. Turning back to her, he reached his hand out, helping her climb through the window. Just as he'd said, there was a light blue blanket spread out with a few throw pillows for them to rest on.

"Do you do this often?" she asked, sitting cross-legged, taking everything in with a mesmerized smile.

"Sometimes," he confessed. "If I can't sleep and I'm up late I'll come out here or if I have some big blow out fight with my dad."

"This would be my escape too if I was you."

"It's sort of funny how it all started," he chuckled, tucking his legs close to his chest, "I was trying to sneak out and head to some party Tim was throwing and I got distracted," he shared, pointing up at the stars. "I got so caught up in it that I didn't want to leave—it had some sort of pull on me."

"I could stare at them for hours," she confessed, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'd look at them with you any day—although I think it's already starting to become our thing."

Nathan smiled, keeping his eyes set ahead. "Our thing?"

"You know, an ongoing tradition that you do with someone and only them," she explained, bumping her shoulder against his.

"Okay, it's our thing then," he nodded, turning to her. His eyes fell on her warm, brown ones and then slowly trailed to her lips. They looked soft and inviting but he knew better than to cross that line right now. His gaze flickered back to her eyes and then he turned to face the sky again and laid back on the flat surface.

Haley let out a breath she'd been holding and swallowed what felt like a knot in her throat. It'd been the second time they'd had what felt like a moment under the mask of the starry sky. Haley laid back next to him and the two remained in silence for a comfortable period of time.

"Sing for me?" he asked.

"What?"

"Sing for me," he repeated, turning to her, and leaned up on his elbow. "You promised you would."

"Oh no," she whined, covering her face with her hands, "you don't want to ruin this with the memory of my singing, do you?"

"It'd make it," he insisted.

"You're not gonna film this are you?" she asked, spreading her fingers to peak at him.

"Is it selfish to say that I want the first time I hear you sing be just for me?"

Haley bit her lip, trying to hold back a smile. "Okay. But one condition," she warned, pointing at him.

"Anything," he laughed, holding out his pinky.

"You can't look at me!" she laughed. "I get nervous and I've never done this for anyone before."

"It is pretty dark out so it's difficult to see you enough," he replied, "but I'll keep my eyes shut."

"Okay," she sighed, waiting for him to turn away from her and close his eyes. Once he did so, she turned her head too, and looked above at the stars twinkling over them. With a deep inhale and exhale, trying to calm her nerves, she began to sing.

 _So what you been doing?  
I've been loving my life waking up on my own  
Are you doing the same thing?  
You can say if you like but I don't need to know  
And I, I've been wondering why we've been wasting all this time_

 _So what you been doing?  
I thought that I saw you, I guess I was wrong  
Are you doing the same thing?  
Convincing yourself you're better alone  
And I could tell you how you never left my mind_

Nathan turned to face her, smiling as she closed her eyes, lost in song. He could feel her passion as she sang and as unconfident as she said she was, he'd never seen her more sure of herself. She radiated beauty and her voice was as warm and inviting as her regular speech.  
 _  
Then you tell me that you miss me and I'm like  
Oh God, I miss you too… It's all I ever do  
I'm coming back to you and I won't let go  
Oh God, I miss you too.. we got making up to do  
I'm coming back to you And I won't let go again_

Silence filled the air between them again and Haley bit her lip, waiting for Nathan to say anything. As the silence increased, the twisting feeling of her stomach grew. "That bad?" she asked, trying to gauge his reaction.

"Haley-," he began, falling short.

"See! This is why I didn't want to sing, I'm so embarrassed," she huffed, covering her face.

"Haley," he stated again, more softly. "You know how you could stare at the stars for hours?" he asked, brushing her hands away from her face.

"Yea…"

"I could listen to you sing for hours."

A sweet smile emerged from Haley's lips, "You mean it?"

Nathan nodded, looking up at the stars. "This is my favorite place in the world—here with you," he stated, "Seriously. I can have the worst day ever or you could be having the worst day ever," he pointed out, "and you've got this lightness about you. I always have a smile on my face and I'm happy when you're around."

It was in that moment that Haley was thankful for the darkness that enveloped them. She could feel heat radiating from her face at his words. Her thoughts were whirling around her head and she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. She spent countless times daydreaming him saying such words to her and it still didn't feel quite real—she needed contact. Without thinking, Haley turned on her side, curling into his side and resting her hand on his chest. It was innocent yet so intimate.

Nathan felt content. He tilted his head down to get a peak of Haley resting on his chest. Slowly, his traced his fingers along her back and eventually, softly, through her hair. "I've been meaning to ask you something…"

"Okay," she replied nervously, but hopeful.

"Got a date for winter formal?"

Haley let out a loud, booming laugh.

"What?!" he asked, drawing her closer into his arms.

"I don't know, I thought it was going to be something more serious, I was nervous."

"What's more serious than winter formal?" he jokingly asked.

"Oh, I don't know, watching paint dry?" she teased, "So… I don't have a date but I also wasn't planning on going."

"Why is that?"

"It's not really my thing!" she confessed. "Luke and I like to order pizzas and watch movies and wear sweats and I don't know, I don't have a dress and my dancing is subpar at best," she listed, running through a list of reasons.

"You and Luke can do that any night and if he disagrees I'd be more than happy to volunteer to fill his spot," he countered, "you can go shopping with Brooke for a dress," he suggested, "Or maybe not because her taste can get a little out of control," he laughed, "and I have two left feet so we'll both make awful dancing partners."

Haley shifted her head up, getting a better look at him, "Are you serious about this?"

"Come with me. Everything is better when you're there."

"Okay," she quietly agreed, smiling to herself.

"Yea?" he asked, surprised and relieved all at once.

"My favorite place is with you too. I can get all dressed up and pretend like I know how to blend in."

"You couldn't blend in if you tried," he replied, "you stand out among the rest."

"Is that supposed to be a good thing?" she asked, confused.

And then he made the move that she didn't have the nerves to do. He slowly interlocked their fingers, lifting their clasped hands in the air to admire the way they fit perfectly together.

"It's a good thing."

* * *

 **I'm so happy a few of you are still reading! This may be my favorite chapter yet (Lucas x Haley friendship, Brooke x Nathan interaction, and Haley x Nathan). I haven't planned out the numbers of chapters that will be left, but I am going to work on a timeline just to get a better idea. There's a couple things I want to touch on still, but I think I'm going to stick to finishing the story when their semester ends. At the same time I totaaaaaaaaaally want to delve into family dynamics and develop Nathan x Lucas friendship because they still are very distant in this but who knows (this is my first story and I'm just ambitious and excited). As always, please let me know what you think!**

 **ps. the song Haley sings for Nathan is "Miss You" piano version by Gabrielle Aplin**


	11. Chapter 11

"We need to make you look HOT," Brooke exclaimed, running her fingers against various dresses on a clothing rack. One moment Haley was sitting on Lucas' bed working on homework and the next thing she knew she was standing in the middle of Camille's Boutique with two dresses folded over her arm. "You're going to winter formal with ONE," Brooke emphasized, "of the most popular guys at school and you need to look the part."

"I don't think this is really necessary. I was probably just going to take something from one of my sisters…"

"Hand-me-downs?" she asked, her face scrunched in distaste. "Ew, no thank you." Brooke bit her lip in concentration as she sifted through the rack. "I swear I could design something better," she muttered to herself. "PS. P Sawyer should be here any second. Her style is cool if you're into that sort of thing but I think we'll steer clear of dressing you like Nathan's ex."

Haley looked to the floor suddenly feeling self-conscious. She grew up in a household with gorgeous, free-spirited sisters who filled out their clothes the right way and always had something clever to say. In ways, she felt like she was back in that position in comparison to Peyton. No matter what dress she wore there was no possible way she'd look anything like the long-legged girl

"How about this one?" Brooke asked, breaking Haley out of her daze. It was a long, plum dress with a low v-neck cut and slit that reached about mid-thigh.

Haley raised her eyebrows, shaking her head almost instantly. "No way. Maybe if I didn't have boobs but that's a slip waiting to happen."

"I'm sure Nathan wouldn't mind," Brooke answered coyly.

"Yea, I heard you're going with Nathan-" Haley turned her head to find Peyton walking up to them. In an all-knowing voice, Peyton slipped her hands in her pockets and leaned forward, "Thought you weren't interested?"

"Hey! No biting," Brooke warned.

"I am a bitch afterall," Peyton joked. Sensing awkward tension, Peyton grabbed the dresses folded over Haley's arm and picked them up, making a face behind Brooke's back. Quietly, she placed the dresses randomly back in the mix as Brooke looked for more options. "I'm just messing with you. You don't need my permission to go out with him. Just at a glance things seem sort of different."

Haley bit her lip, "It's still not what you think. Me and him… it's, well, we aren't really anything. Just two people going to a dance."

"Leave the acting disinterested bit to me," Peyton advised. "Speaking of interests though… you aren't seeing Jake anymore, are you?"

Haley shook her head, "It ended just as quickly as it started."

Peyton nodded her head slowly, looking as if she had more to say.

"I feel like you two would be a good match," Haley shared, playfully nudging her. "He's passionate about making music and you're passionate about the art behind it- a nice commonground."

"I thought the same thing," Peyton quietly said, smiling to herself.

The girls spent the better part of their afternoon searching through racks of clothes and ducking in and out of shops until something in a storefront window caught Brooke's eye. "This is gorgeous," she gawked. The dress was light gray, fitted, and fell slightly past the knee. "I could wear the straps off the shoulder, you know? Tight around my arms where the sweetheart neckline is…," she continued talking to herself. "And a light lip color…"

"Brooke, where did you learn all of this?" Haley asked, amazed.

"It's a gift," she informed her. Turning away from the dream dress, Brooke shrugged, "Also helped that I've been using my dad's credit card since I was 13 so fashion is kinda my thing." Brooke looked back at the gray dress and cocked her head, "C'mon, one down, two to go."

Unlike at the other shops, their search didn't last long. Quickly Peyton settled her eyes on a long black dress with a lace top and a low v-neck cut. As for Haley, she'd found a silky, a-line olive dress with a low back. While she was nervous about her pick since it strayed from her typical style, Brooke's words echoed in her mind. She needed to look sexy and to Haley's own excitement, she wanted to feel it too.

"He's gonna be putty in your hands," Brooke cheered. "My work is done!"

* * *

 _Swish._

Nathan liked to warm up by practicing his free-throws before anyone showed up for their actual scheduled practice. He'd been doing this even when he was younger- a habit instilled by his father. They would show up about 45 minutes early. Nathan would stretch, do a couple suicide drills, practice 3-pointers, and end on free-throws. The free-throws acted as a cool-down period since they felt mindless to him. He could do it with his eyes closed.

"Have you hit that yet?" Tim asked, grabbing the ball from underneath the net and passing it back to him.

"What? Who?"

"Haley," Tim said, "You know, the girl that follows Lucas around like a lost puppy."

Nathan's grasp on the ball led his knuckles to turn white. In a swift motion, Nathan threw the ball back in Tim's direction just missing his head.

"What the fuck, man?" Tim threw his hands up in the air and turned to go grab the ball. "I'm just asking."

"Well don't." Nathan warned.

"I bet she's kinky, right? Like she'd play the student and you'd be the coach." Tim wiggled his eyebrows as he spun the ball in his hands and bounced it so it'd return back to him. "Or or or she'd be the teacher and you're in her classroom for after school help."

"Shut your fucking mouth," Nathan pressed. "Why do you have to be like that?"

"Like what?"

"An asshole," Nathan said, approaching him. Tim backed up, wide-eyed, almost bracing himself for what could come. Nathan grabbed the ball from Tim's grip and turned away, heading back to the designated space. "Have you ever thought that maybe I actually really like her? That it's something real this time- not just fucking around."

Tim muttered an apology and walked off the court. On Tim's way towards the locker room he noticed Lucas leaning against the bleachers with his arms folded over his chest.

"How much did you hear of that?" Tim asked awkwardly, keeping his distance.

"Get out of my face."

"So everything?"

"Everything."

* * *

The best time to be in Karen's cafe, in Haley's opinion, was when it closed. While she loved talking to all the regulars, there was something about the cafe when it emptied. She'd reflect on how busy it'd get, all the different conversations she'd have, all the people she knew and all the people she'd meet. On top of that, it had a magical feel to it. She'd dim the lights low and leave the twinkling lights on. She'd play her over the speakers, sing, count money, balance the register, check the supplies used and what was needed, and wipe things down.

Crouching low, Haley opened the short fridge to check on the milk. It was then that she heard a familiar chime and she cursed to herself. She forgot to lock the door.

"We're closed," she called out, standing up with her checklist. Suddenly, she felt frozen, staring at the incomer. "Jake," she whispered to herself, feeling nervous. It'd been a long time since the two had been in this room alone.

"Karen here?" he asked, looking behind her, seeming rushed.

"Uh, no," she answered quietly, with the shake of her head. Still, she turned to look behind her and then settled on him again, crossing her arms over her chest. "Anything I can do?"

Jake ran a hand through his hair, cursing under his breath in a sigh. Dismissing her comment, he turned away and headed toward a table in the back by the door. It was then that Haley noticed that the two, in fact, were not alone. Set on top of the table was a carseat with a baby sleeping.

"Jake? Don't leave," she called after him, coming out from behind the bar. "You're worrying me."

"Haley, I don't have time to do this right now."

"Do what? I don't want to talk about us any more than you want to," she pointed out, unsure if that was what he was insinuating. "It's not about that. You don't seem okay and I can't let you leave like this," she insisted, trying not to raise her voice and disturb the sleeping baby.

 _The baby._

Haley shifted her eyes from him to the sleeping girl. "Who is that, Jake?" she asked with a soft and kind voice.

"I need a job," he answered. Jake took a seat beside the baby and softly brushed his hand over her head. "Her name is Jenny."

"Okay," Haley answered, straddling a chair across from him. Resting her arms on the top of the seat, she settled her chin on her forearm. "Tell me about her."

"Yea?" he responded, unsure.

She nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"Jenny is my daughter," he confirmed. "She's… she's my whole world wrapped up in a yellow blanket. She's a babbler, you know? Whenever I play a song for her she's trying to sing along," he shared. With every word he spoke his eyes beamed with pride and joy. "She's not quite past 'dada' but we're getting there."

"Well if she's anything like you, she'll be performing in no time.

"And what about you? When are you going to get up and perform?" he asked, leaning into his seat.

"I thought we were focusing on you?" she asked in a laugh, deflecting his question.

Jake threw his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, fair enough." His eyes trailed away from hers and looked around the room. "Money is tight," he confessed, "My parents have been supporting me and Jenny, which I know isn't easy on them, and it's not something I like to do. The only reason I'm still playing ball is so I can POSSIBLY get a scholarship." Jake ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "I don't like not being able to provide for my daughter. I get it, I'm still technically a kid, but I stopped being one the moment she was born, you know?"

Haley nodded. Even though her circumstances were tremendously different, she understood what it was like to grow up before her peers.

"Her mom wants nothing to do with her, so there's no money there, and I can't be dependent on my parents forever. How am I supposed to take care of her if I have other people taking care of me? I guess I'm getting antsy now that this is the last year of high school and I should be moving forward… all while I feel like I'm moving backwards."

"Well, you've got a job here," Haley said, looking over at Jenny, smiling softly.

"Seriously?!" He asked, looking as if he was about to jump out of his chair. "Wait. Can you do that?"

Haley nodded. "I've got a soft spot for parents who stand by their kids," she said, gesturing to the cafe around them, "Karen raised Luke all by herself and he's the best person I know."

"Whitey was the one who actually suggested this place for that reason," he said, looking down at Jenny. "Coach knew immediately that something was up when she was born. He's been really understanding about it all. He told me she was a blessing and my number one priority," he smiled, "with basketball at a close second."

"Sounds like him," she said. "Can I make you a coffee? We have leftover pastries I usually take. You can take some for you or your parents? It's a perk of working here," she said, getting up from her seat.

"No coffee. Jenny doesn't sleep through the entire night so I don't need any caffeine." Jake stood up from the table and walked over to the counter, picking up a sticky bun. "You guys do have good pastries though…"

"That we do," she agreed, taking out a brown paper bag and packing an assortment of other treats.

"Are you going to winter formal?" he asked in a casual tone, without making eye contact with her.

"Uh, yea," she said, folding the top of the brown bag and stapling it shut. "I'm going with Brooke, Lucas, and Nathan," she said carefully.

"Oh, cool." Jake shrugged. "I figured as much."

"I do know someone who'd want to go with you though…," Haley said in a singsong voice; she felt like Brooke in this moment.

Jake looked up. "Really," he asked intrigued, "Who wants to take a 17-year old, single dad out?"

"Peyton."

* * *

"History is so boring," Nathan groaned, leaning back into his desk chair. What he should be doing is writing his paper but what he wanted to do was talk to Haley, so of course, he chose the latter.

"It's important," Haley argued over the phone. "We need to know it so we're not doomed to repeat it."

"Okay, dork," Nathan teased sweetly. His eyes drifted over to the photostrip of the two. In one block they were throwing bunny ears behind the other, another they were cross-eyed, but the last two photos in the strip made him feel like his heart was ready to burst out of his chest. In the third picture Haley was wide grinned while he was too busy looking at her.

 _"Nathan! You missed the picture!" Haley shouted, playfully hitting his arm. "You're not even looking at the camera!"_

 _"I got distracted!" He argued, laughing._

 _"Do I look silly or something?"_

 _"No," he answered, furrowing his eyebrows as if it was the most absurd thing he'd ever heard. "I like it when you smile."_

 _"You do?"_

 _"Yea… and when you laugh too."_

And the last photo of the two showed right after that moment, when his hands wrapped around her sides. His fingers slipped under her shirt, grazing against her skin, and tickling her. All he could remember was that the touch her skin was the softest he'd ever felt and that he couldn't even imagine what the sensation of caressing her body would be like. So soft.

Nathan cleared his throat, breaking away from his daydream. "How was work?"

"Same old, same old," she answered, her tone lingering.

"Is that so?" By now he felt like he could pick up on her mannerisms without even needing to look at her.

"Okay, not entirely," Haley answered. "I'm not sure how you're going to react to this…," she confessed.

"I'm on the edge of my seat here, Hales," he replied playfully.

"Jake stopped by the cafe after closing."

Nathan held his breath waiting for her to continue. If he was being rational, he knew that he didn't have a right to be upset about it. Afterall, him and Haley were just friends. But the other part of him felt jealous. He knew that Jake liked her and that before he'd meddled a bit, Haley and Jake could be dating now for all he knew. He didn't like feeling jealous, in fact, he never really felt it before aside from growing up when he'd found his dad keeping up with Lucas through sports.

"He needs a job and so… I hired him."

"Oh. That's uh," he paused. "-shocking. Wait. Can you even do that?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?!" she answered, "Not really. But sort of. With Karen being crazy invested in Tric I've taken on more hours and responsibilities. I'm supposed to interview candidates and narrow it down to two or so for Karen to meet but I never told her about how badly we need another person," she rambled, "I'll just tell her how he's fit for the spot. It's just bussing tables, packaging some pastries during down time, and any other odd small jobs to keep things moving smoothly."

Nathan grimaced at the idea of them spending so much time together but shrugged it off. "I don't know how fit he'll be for the spot when he can't even show up to practice on time."

"He has a lot of stuff going on in his life, don't judge him" she argued.

"What he's confiding in you now?" Nathan flexed his jaw, annoyed that he let those words slip. He knew he sounded threatened.

"No, he just told me why he needed the job so badly," she huffed, sounding frustrated. "Anyway, I planned on stopping by Luke's before school to tell Karen why he needs it so I'm hoping things don't blow up in my face."

The line was quiet for a moment too long and he knew he had to say something on behalf of his behavior. "I'm sorry," Nathan apologized, "I don't know why I get bothered by him sometimes. He's a good guy and an even better basketball player."

"He's no Nathan Scott," she replied and he knew she was smiling now, "Also, I went shopping for my formal dress today…."

"I heard it's a little sexy, Haley James," Nathan teased, reflecting on the text he'd received from text. His smile grew when he heard he groan- he knew she was hiding the blush on her face even though they were on the phone.

"It might be," she confessed. "Hey! You know, I could totally pull off sexy."

"There's not a doubt in my mind."

Haley was quiet for a few seconds until he heard her voice pipe up again, "Olive green tie if you want to match."

"Brooke snatched a swatch."

"God she's one step ahead of everyone, isn't she?"

Nathan chuckled, "I'm well aware. I've known her for a while longer… she's always been like this."

"We even got on the topic of colleges and she's already sent out all her applications to fashion institutes! I mean, I'm freaking tutor girl and I still have a few more to do." Haley said. "Come to think of it, I might even do it now. I'm behind! For once!"

"Speaking of…," Nathan cautiously said, "What places are you applying to?"

"I'm following the approach of aiming high and aiming average. Maybe a safety net," she shared, saying similar information his advisor had said. "A few Ivy leagues, just kind of wanna see if I can get in-"

"You will," he interjected.

"Sure you're a basketball player and not a cheerleader?" Haley teased. "Let's see," she said quietly to herself, "there's University of Wisconsin-but it's so freaking cold- and UCLA," she listed, "and my dream school, Stanford; they all have incredible teaching programs."

"They're all so far away," he said lowly. "Is North Carolina that bad?" Nathan pulled up google maps on his laptop, torturing himself, by inputting the distance between Stanford and his dream school, Duke. He just wanted to see it for himself as he quickly imagined the future, more space between them, and more phone calls. Hell, she's got him thinking of a future outside of basketball.

"North Carolina isn't bad at all, it has my heart," she shared, "But it'd be fun to move somewhere new where no one knows who I am or has any expectations of me. And imagine a road trip across the country!" she said excitedly.

Nathan smiled, listening to how happy she sounded. "Scouts are always looking to recruit the best players to play for them. Who knows? Maybe I'll wind up closeby."

"I wouldn't mind having someone know me where I go if it'd be you," she said sweetly, "Plus, you'd be the one I'd take for the road trip."

"Oh really?"

"Yea, who else is going to lug all my stuff up flights of stairs?"

Nathan shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Good to know that's all I am to you."

"No... you're more. Much more."

* * *

 **Hello hello hello! I hope this message finds you all well if you're still reading. It's been about a month since I've last updated and I've missed writing this story immensely :| BUT I'm excited that I got to update it! This chapter is longer than my usual ones but I really liked the material I covered. I wanted to incorporate Brooke x Peyton x Haley, bring Jake back into the story more, have Lucas see a new side to Nathan, and have Nathan and Haley start considering what they want from each other, school, etc...**

 **As always PLEASE let me know what you think. I love hearing criticisms, what you liked, what you hope to possibly see, and if you think the story has run its course or you want more. All feedback is encouraging! To my US readers, have a happy holiday!**

 **ps. winter formal is the next chapter!**


End file.
